Too Close For Comfort, Doctor
by MissHaunted-MoonLight
Summary: HP/DW Crossover. The search for the Horcruxes sends our heroes to the Underworld, but two new arrivals just before departure may change their plans a bit. The Universe is in turmoil, and the Doctor's past is coming back to haunt him. N.B. UNDER REVISION
1. The Power of Words

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**Summary:**Harry catches Ron writing an apology for Hermione. The contents within shake Harry into a new reality with his own love-life. As he resolves to himself not to become involved with what his heart wants, the largest burden he has ever faced is dropped onto his young shoulders. When all other opportunities seem scarce, Harry, Ron and Hermione are faced with the only possibility remaining-a visit to The Underworld. But a strange appearance of two rather unusual people just before departure means more mystery, suspense, drama and danger than the trio had expected. Who is this mysterious Doctor and how is he connected with the ongoing battle between Good and Evil?

**Starring:**The Tenth Doctor (David Tennant) and Rose Tyler

**Pairings:**Harry/Ginny, Ron/Hermione, and the Doctor/Rose

**Disclaimer:**The title of this story and Ron's song lyrics come from/and are based on McFly's Too Close for Comfort, so I can't claim them as mine, unfortunately. All HP characters, scenes, names, and anything else you remotely recognise do not belong to me, but the amazing and ever-talented J.K Rowling. Any Doctor Who related works are also not of my creation, so please don't sue me! Thank Russell T Davies and the BBC for those. The whole 'Death' concept, however can, _I think_, be called my own as it counts as AU. I think...

* * *

**And that's the technicalities out of the way. So without further ado, I present to you ...  
'Too Close For Comfort, Doctor'.**

**Hope you enjoy the ride, peeps!**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**The Power of Words**

There was something rather unsettling about the atmosphere in the library, that night. The night when it all began.

Ancient whispers fluttered about on a sightless breeze, while the flickering darkness, interrupted every now and again by a passing floating candle, cast eerie shadows upon the hundreds of rows of shelves. Wandering by them in nothing short of a mindless daze, Harry Potter silently marvelled at how that darkness was clouding his perception in such a way that the paths between those shelves seemed to go on forever. And that in itself was more than a little unnerving.

Lucky for him, it didn't take him long to find what he had been looking for.

Ron Weasley was sitting at a small table near the main entrance, tucked away in a corner of the library within plain sight of the half-open doorway. Harry could spot his vivid, red hair a mile off, and with a vague glance over his shoulder to determine he was quite alone, he plastered a look of mild curiosity onto his face and made his way over to his best friend. Ron looked up, noticed Harry walking towards him, and quickly hunched over the piece of parchment to shield it from Harry's suspicious gaze.

"Hi," he said calmly, stopping just behind Ron, a small smile gracing his worn features. "What are you doing in the library?" He paused, smirking, then clapped a hand to his mouth in mock-horror. "Oh no! All this dating stuff's gone to your head hasn't it? You've become Hermione!"

Ron scowled at him, cheeks colouring ever-so-slightly as he attempted to surreptitiously disguise the words scrawled across the page he'd been working on.

"No of course I haven't!" he shot back defensively, avoiding Harry's gaze. "No, I was just searching for that 'R.A.B'. I mean we're only here for a few days, so if we want to know if that Horcrux thing was destroyed before tearing off after You Know Who's other ones, we've got to get searching, haven't we?' Ron replied, a little too fast. He stared at Harry for a few seconds before adding bluntly, "and what are _you_ doing here?"

Raising an eyebrow but deciding not to comment, Harry sighed, smile dropping.

"Looking for you. That meeting with McGonagall tonight has been moved to eleven o'clock."

There was a small, uncomfortable pause, during which Ron merely nodded his understanding, eyes still down-cast and expression guiltily passive. Deciding his curiosity more than outweighed his silent wish to not get involved in anything that could distract him from his mission, Harry's eyes drifted to the half-concealed parchment, and the words escaped his lips before he could bite them back. "What are you writing?"

Within seconds, Ron's ears were glowing.

"Erm, nothing important," he hastily replied, hurrying to shove the parchment into his bag, and out of sight. But Harry was too quick for him. Ron blushed astonishingly as Harry read the beginning of the apology he had been working on, silently fuming to himself that he should have put it away when he'd had the chance.

_I never meant the things I said to make you cry, I'm sorry, and nothing I say can change your mind, can it?  
I really don't know why I said what I did.  
It was stupid, and I really need you to forgive me. I love you, and I can't live without you. What can I say to make you believe me?_

An awkward pause followed, during which Harry dropped his bag onto the floor, took the chair across from Ron and re-read the parchment three times. Having finally admitted to himself that the words were the real deal, he glanced up at Ron, whose ears were now shining brighter than the setting sun.

"Well," he said at last, attempting to keep his voice light and airy but failing abysmally as the atmosphere seemed to crackle its silent disapproval. "I was wondering what you'd said to make Hermione so upset." He paused to watch his friend's reaction before saying, "that's partly why I wanted to talk to you. Neither of you showed up for dinner tonight, so I thought it must have been something like this."

Harry was trying his best not to smile. The truth was he was so used to this sort of thing by now that it was so difficult for him to pretend to be worried. Admittedly, this was the first time Harry had caught Ron trying to write her an apology; so obviously, whatever he'd done, it must have been big, but they always made up again. Harry just needed to push things along a bit …

Oblivious to Harry's silent plotting, Ron shuffled uncomfortably in his chair, trying to come up with the best possible answer he could give by way of a response.

"Well, I don't _really_ know what happened, myself," Ron muttered quietly, knowing full well that Harry would probably have sat in the chair opposite him all night until he answered. It would be a lot less hassle for the both of them if he got it over with there and then. "One minute we were getting along fine, and the next she'd stood up and run out of the room, crying."

"Well what did you say to her?" Harry asked. After six years of bickering and arguments, Harry knew how to handle Ron/Hermione fall-out scenarios. Ron was the easier target, and all Harry had to do was talk Ron into understanding what he had done wrong, and then he would be able to sort things out for himself from there.

As if in answer, Ron glanced anxiously around the library, and when he had checked each corner of the room twice and made certain no-one was eavesdropping, he looked down at the table and spoke to his hands.

"Well, I…er…you won't…er… laugh or anything, will you?" he stammered nervously.

"Wouldn't dream of it, mate," Harry replied, his facial muscles screaming in protest as he fought to keep them straight. Ron looked around again, fidgeting, and then turned back to Harry. A long silence followed, but Harry knew it was up to Ron to speak first, and that he would do so when he was ready. All Harry needed was a little patience ...

"Erm, I…er…I kind of asked Hermione to tell me…." and he trailed off into nothing.

"Sorry, didn't catch that," Harry said, no longer restraining a smile. It had vanished along with Ron's voice. Ron looked seriously worried about something, and Harry felt it a bad mark of friendship to find Ron's uneasiness funny. Instead he stared at Ron with a look of great concern on his face.

"I asked Hermione what she thought about me. So she told me, all really nice stuff, you know. Then she asked me what I thought of her, and I kind of lost my mind then. I went ranting on about all of her bad traits, and about her being a know-it-all, and then…God, why the hell did I say it?"

Harry was dumbstruck. Ron was actually shaking with grief, and Harry saw tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"What did you say?" Harry asked, wondering if he really wanted to know.

"I…er…oh, Harry, I accused her of fancying you!" he wailed.

Harry sighed and studied him. He didn't trust himself to speak yet. For a moment, he wanted to hit Ron for being such an ungrateful, jealous, ignorantly blind prat. But then the moment passed, and he was watching a grief-stricken friend shaking with remorse.

"What the hell made you say that? When has either of us ever given the impression that we like each other?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"I don't know why I said it. I just saw her watching you again. She's always talking about you, and watching you, and asking me about you. It just made me think that she liked you better." The tears were becoming more noticeable. Harry was thinking fast. Drastic action and a loud shouting match were required. So naturally, Harry needed to get the two of them together.

"You_ moron_, Ron! Me and Hermione are _friends_, you self-obsessed dolt! You seriously need to pull yourself together mate, or this relationship isn't going to go anywhere."

"I know," Ron murmured, absently wiping his eyes on his sleeve before turning to stare at the wall, eyes unfocused and mind elsewhere. "I know."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and more out of boredom than actual interest, Harry read through the 'apology' again.

"Oh no," he whispered, one line finally hitting home as he stared at the words on the page. He shot Ron a side-ward glance, frowning. "She's broken it off, hasn't she?" he murmured, letting the parchment flutter back down onto the table as he ran a hand through his unruly locks. Ron looked up, eyes watering, and nodded.

"Oh, Ron!" Harry stood up and went to sit next to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "What are you going to do?" he asked quietly.

"Well, I thought maybe if I wrote her an apology-"

"Don't you think she'd prefer it if you actually apologised to her face?" Harry suggested, pointedly, eyeing the parchment with distaste.

"How am I supposed to do that when she runs from the room as soon as I turn up?" Ron countered, expression one of complete and utter self-loathing. Harry paused, thinking, then straightened up, his smile from a few minutes prior slowly inching its way back onto his face. Straightening up in his chair, he nodded to himself, eyes widening ever so slightly as he considered Ron thoughtfully.

"Leave that to me," he said finally. "We have to fix this before eleven o'clock, so I'm going to help you out. Finish writing up this…apology…and then meet me in the Room of Requirement at nine-thirty, Okay? Okay," he finished for Ron, not wasting time.

Without waiting for a reply, Harry all but jumped to his feet, squeezed Ron's shoulder once in encouragement, and swiftly left the library. Looking back as he reached the colossal wooden doors, he saw Ron gazing at the parchment in front of him, a lost, uncertain look on his face. Harry sighed, shook his head once, and set off in the direction of the Room of Requirement.

It was time to give Ronald Weasley a kicking he would never forget.

* * *

"Harry?"

Ron cautiously entered the Room of Requirement a little while later, eyes deliberately focused upon anything but the person in question, and he couldn't contain a small gasp of surprise as he took notice of the Room's latest make-over. Every inch of the shabby black wallpaper was hidden by ceiling-high cabinets full of glass and crystal plates and goblets. Harry himself was sitting in a spindly-looking chair at the far end of the hall, apparently waiting for Ron to arrive.

"About time, I thought you'd chickened out," he said brightly by way of a greeting, standing up and walking over to Ron.

"Well it took me long enough to write this pile of garbage," Ron retorted. They stood in silence for a few seconds, Ron staring around at the large cabinets.

"What the Hell are these all for?" he asked, curiously.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly, a ghost of a smile on his face as he considered the many delicate-looking cabinets surrounding them.

"Well, I wanted a room that would reflect what I was thinking about, and I was thinking about your disagreement. And quite often with arguments, people like to throw things. I suppose that's why it's like this," he invented quickly. In truth, he wanted the plates for Hermione when she arrived, just in case she really did need to take her anger out on something, but Ron didn't know that Hermione was coming, yet. Shrugging again, he forced his smile to widen in reassurance.

Ron stared at him, suspiciously, but said nothing.

A few silent moments passed, during which time each stared directly and unblinkingly at the other. And unfortunately for Ron, it was Harry who caved first.

"Well, let's see it then!" he blurted out, a hand outstretched.

Half-heartedly, Ron handed the parchment over to him, before resolutely turning his back on both Harry and the room, deciding it was safer to contemplate the door handle, instead. Shaking his head in mild annoyance, Harry sat down again and turned his attention to studying the faded parchment, eyes narrowed slightly as he attempted to decipher Ron's untidy scrawl.

_How can you stand there and push me out? I need you.  
Please, what I said was stupid, foolish, tactless, and I just wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to say what I did, and I wish to God that I hadn't.  
Is there something you're keeping from me? Is there some other reason why you took it the way you did?_

Glancing up, Harry shot Ron a pointed glance, fingers absently drumming over the corners of the parchment.

"Hmm, do you think that's really suitable for what you're apologising for? To me, it sounds more like you're accusing her even more now than what you've already said to her face."

Ron shifted uncomfortably again, then took a quill from his pocket and scratched out the offending words. With a small nod of acceptance, Harry took it back and continued reading.

_Remember when we walked hand-in-hand along the beach? You told me you loved me, and we watched the sunset together, marking our names in the sand.  
And now you're telling me you've changed your mind?  
What do you want me to say? You don't know how much it hurts for me to let you go. This war is tearing me apart, and my only comfort is that you are with me, but if you push me out now, I don't think I will be able to make it through._

It went on, but Harry didn't like what he was seeing after that.

"Well, it's a start," he said finally, handing it back to Ron before climbing to his feet, once again. "I'd leave out that last paragraph of intense accusations if I were you, though. Incidentally, when did you...er...you know?"

Ron blushed and studied his laces. "While you were in Scarborough hunting for contacts of Mundungus Fletcher, Hermione and I went for a walk along the beach."

Harry blinked, an eyebrow raised.

"Right," he said, restraining a grin. "Well, now we just have to get you two together, don't we?" He clapped his hands together briskly, and turned to stare at the door in anticipation.

Ron merely nodded, still apparently finding immense interest in his shoes. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out, "Harry, I need to fix this. I love her, and I can't imagine my life without her there with me. How can I get through this war without her by my side?"

Harry hesitated, considering his face before smiling warmly.

"Well you'll just have to make sure you get it right this time, won't you? Don't worry, everyone can see how much she loves you. You're meant for each other. Call it fate, call it destiny, call it a kick in the teeth, but no matter what, you two are stuck for life." Ron smiled at Harry and opened his mouth to speak. But, at that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Hermione edged slowly into the room, causing Ron to go into a state of shock. He closed his mouth quickly, and looked from Hermione to Harry, and back.

"There you are Harry, I thought you said meet you in the corridor, I didn't know you'd be in…" but she broke off as she saw Ron. Tears began to slide gently down her cheeks, and she turned to leave the room, but before she could so much as grasp the handle, Harry moved into clearer view.

"Erm, I need to send a message to Lupin, so I'll meet you two outside McGonagall's office at eleven o'clock. Have fun!"

And on that note, Harry left his two best friends glaring at each other, hoping that they would sort everything out. They had enough to be dealing with now, without mass arguments every few seconds.

As Harry made his solitary way back to the library for yet another hour of searching for non-existent names with increasingly annoying initials, yells and shouts erupted from the Room of Requirement behind him. Harry turned into the fourth corridor and Ron's last paragraph began to echo around his head. For some reason, it seemed to bring home the truth of Harry's own love life, but Harry couldn't for the life of him think how it connected with Ron's. There must have been more to the argument, unless Ron was just over-reacting.

_You've just been lying to me, haven't you? Has everything you told me been a lie? Did you truly love me when we were together? I just don't know you anymore, we're not the same.  
Was I too close for comfort? All I know is you're pushing me out, and I need to be with you. You're keeping things from me, and I need to know what.  
Please, let me in. I need you with me, and I don't know how I'm going to live without you._

This was practically what Ginny had said to him when they'd last met, during Bill and Fleur's wedding. Harry had been sure she would have understood why he had ended it, but she hadn't. She had blamed him for lying and messing around. She had blustered on about how much she needed him. It had taken three cups of coffee and a shouting match reminiscent of Ron and Hermione before she had said that she trusted him again.

Harry didn't know what to do anymore. He had hoped that she could have really thought about Harry's intentions, but she was being so stubborn about the whole thing. Harry knew what was upsetting her so much, and he also knew that she was secretly jealous of Ron and Hermione. She wanted to prove to him that she wasn't a child, and that she was in as much danger away from Harry as she was with him. She had wanted desperately to abandon school like her brother, but both Harry and Mrs Weasley had stamped that out. It was Harry's intervention that had hurt her the most.

Harry was lost. He was deliberately pushing Ginny away, needing to protect her, but a part of him was on Ginny's side. The only people who were being affected by Harry's nobility were himself and Ginny. Admitting that to himself was hard enough, but how could he tell Ginny? She was furious with him now. That argument had cooled her temper a bit, but they hadn't spoken since, and Harry was sure the long separation had been playing constantly on her mind. It had been playing on his, non-stop.

Harry entered the library, silently thanking McGonagall for the unlimited access to its many resources and free movement around Hogwarts. It had been a great relief when she had allowed them to stay in the Room of Requirement. Because of this agreement of secret sleeping arrangements, no-one but the Headmistress knew Harry, Ron and Hermione were in the castle, and Harry was quite happy to keep it that way. Arriving at three in the morning had been a real asset, as they had sorted out the Hidden Room before anyone in the castle was even awake, and had also managed to schedule an incredibly brief meeting with McGonagall.

However, a glimpse of Ginny Weasley in the Charms corridor just after they had arrived had tested his resolution to no end. It had taken a great deal of self-restraint to prevent himself from running down the corridor and refusing to let Ginny enter her lesson until he'd had his say. Again.

Ron had noticed, and tried to comfort Harry, but nothing he had said had made Harry feel any better. That had been when he had started talking quietly with Hermione. Of course, Harry being so absorbed with his own misery had departed from the room quickly and headed for the library, running into McGonagall on the way. That must have been when the trouble had started between his two best friends.

Harry really hoped they sorted this out rapidly, because he was beginning to think he would be unable to keep his cool with them for much longer. He was already at breaking point, and the last thing he needed on top of everything else was the responsibility of repairing a friendship between the two people he needed the most, right now.

How could Ron have been so stupid? Hermione was like a sister to Harry! Had they ever really made it look like they had feelings any stronger than platonic? If Ron wanted to keep Hermione, he needed to sort out his jealousy issues. It had cost him dearly in his fourth year, and if Ron and Hermione fell out like Ron and Harry had, there wouldn't be any hope of ending this war soon. Harry didn't like relying on other people, but he knew deep down that he couldn't finish Voldemort without them.

Maybe if there was a chance of another, different friend, he wouldn't be as stressed now, but it wasn't just him that felt Ginny should be kept well out of it. Even Ron had been adamant that Ginny should return to Hogwarts. All the same, Harry was really missing her company. They had spent their whole previous Summer together, and been with each other at the end of last year. He had become accustomed to being around her, her scent lingering in his nostrils. He was missing the strangest things about her too, silly things; the way the sun sent waves of light across her head and illuminated the many shades of red when she moved, the way the room seemed to brighten whenever she entered it, her sulkiness whenever she was teased by her brothers ...

Harry dragged his eyes along a low shelf, looking at records of all students to ever attend Hogwarts. They had only been there for a few hours, and they'd already searched at least thirteen tomes. He wasn't really looking though, as he thought about the many different ways he could talk with Ginny.

_'I think I'm obsessing now,'_ kept running through his overworked brain, but he just couldn't tear his mind away from her.

He had been feeling strangely broken since his departure from The Burrow, and had been extremely subdued around Ron and Hermione. They had stopped trying to talk him round. Both had admitted defeat, and knew that the only way to see Harry happy again was for Ginny to forgive him. Harry had to recognise his feelings before that, and with fears about Voldemort increasing by the day, he hadn't had the chance to seek a conversation with her.

Harry was determined to see it through. He was also determined to make sure everyone he cared for survived the war, too. Only when Voldemort was finished would he be able to reconcile with Ginny, but a part of him wasn't sure he could last that long. How long would Ginny be prepared to wait?

* * *

_'Ten-fifty, I'd better go.' _

Harry left the library with an aching head, but no new ideas, and headed for McGonagall's room. His mind was, unsurprisingly, back on Ginevra Weasley, and he was hardly aware of where his feet were taking him. Consequently, he entered the entrance to the Headmistress' corridor and had to look twice at the scene in front of him before he could make any sense of it.

Ron and Hermione had apparently resolved their issues, and a full scale 'make up' session was currently underway. Harry smiled and tapped Ron on the shoulder, who jumped and looked wildly round, cheeks burning brighter than his flaming hair. He moved on down the corridor with Harry, Hermione walking a few paces behind them.

"Hey, thanks for earlier. What you said, it really helped. Is there anyway I can repay you?" he asked, grinning broadly.

"Just promise me something," Harry said, stepping up to the large stone gargoyle and muttering the password. The three of them stepped onto the spiralling staircase and arrived outside the handsome oak door.

"You name it," Ron replied.

Harry considered him for a moment, Hermione watching the pair of them suspiciously from behind, before speaking.

"Make sure you both make it through this war. You need to promise me, that you'll both be happy and safe at the end, no matter what happens around you."

Ron stared at him before glancing back at Hermione. Without warning, he leaned in close and planted a small, chaste kiss onto her cheek.

"Deal," he said, smiling, and giving Harry a fleeting glimpse of a beautiful red head with the same smile her brother was wearing ...

Sighing, he shook away his fantasies and contemplated the brass door knocker in front of them. This meeting was more important than Ginny at the moment, and he couldn't afford to get side-tracked. There would be plenty of time for that later, and he might even be able to meet her before his return to Godric's Hollow tomorrow ... Hopefully.

"Don't worry, Harry, she'll come around," whispered Hermione, squeezing his hand gently, apparently knowing exactly what was on his mind. Harry sighed again, but nodded.

"I hope so ..." He shrugged half-heartedly and glanced around them. "I dunno. It's just so weird being back here. After everything that's happened, I don't think I could cope if she never forgave me. I need her to know how I feel, but every time I try and explain it to her, she just shrugs it off."

Tears were threatening, but Harry pushed them back and stared at Hermione. She shared half a glance with Ron, and gave Harry a look that said quite plainly, 'only _you_ can sort this out, Harry'. He hated it, when she was right.

Nodding once, he forced a smile, glanced quickly back at his best friends - mentally noting how lucky he was to have Ron and Hermione by his side - and whispered, "ready?"

They gave him an encouraging smile, and mentally braced themselves as he knocked twice on the door of the Head's office. Harry took a deep breath and entered, vaguely registering the fact that the last time he had walked through this door, a very different person had been awaiting his arrival.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. Please review!**

**Blessed Be,  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx **


	2. Solutions and Burdens

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor****  
****by****  
****xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**The brief discussion of the sensational twenty-four series is thanks to the BBC, Sky One and 20th Century Fox. I'd love to be involved in the making of this amazing series, but alas, it isn't so. The bombing of Hiroshima is a true story, so again I cannot claim this as my own. Please review! Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Solutions and Burdens**

Two simultaneous intakes of breath from behind him made Harry realise that Ron and Hermione had seen Dumbledore's Portrait for the first time. He'd seen it once before, but obviously they hadn't been in the Head's Office on that occasion. A part of him wished he hadn't been in there then, either. Dumbledore smiled down at his three favourite students as McGonagall was seen writing hurriedly on a small piece of parchment. They would have thought she was oblivious to their arrival had they not heard her allowing them entry moments before.

She scribbled a little more on her parchment, then lowered her quill with one hand while replacing the stopper of her inkwell with the other, and moved everything to one side on her desk. She straightened up and considered the trio with a calculating expression, the same kind all three of them had grown used to during their many Transfiguration lessons.

"So, I guess this means 'punctuality' isn't _actually_ a foreign word to you after all, Potter. In fact, you're slightly early. My, my, things have changed."

Harry smiled and reached forwards, shaking her hand politely. He was glad to see things hadn't changed that much during their absence. McGonagall was still the same, strictly kind-hearted woman who had put up with their frequent late arrivals to her classes.

Hermione sniffed slightly, and Ron grinned wider than ever. Their brief welcome earlier hadn't really done much for any of them. It had been a hurried 'welcome back, you know where to go' kind of meeting. Hermione had found it very insulting, but she smiled warmly as McGonagall moved her gaze to her all the same.

"It's nice to see you again, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley," she continued, shaking hands as she addressed them. "I apologize for my rather abrupt departure this morning. Rufus Scrimgeour is becoming rather unbearable these days, and very impatient, too. He does not appreciate being kept waiting for anything."

Harry snorted in disgust and stepped aside. He raised his wand, and conjured three chairs, marvelling at his ability to keep them comfortable and practical at the same time.

His magic had increased a great deal over the holidays, mostly thanks to Hermione's 'study magic by night' routine. Consequently, they were only receiving four, maybe less, hours of sleep a night, but they were growing familiar to the lack of bed-rest. Harry was secretly glad, too, as it kept his mind from the recently frequent wanderings that his subconscious had become accustomed to having without his permission. Always the same, were these dreams, too. They would alternate between horrifying trips to The Graveyard and the now even more despised location of The Astronomy Tower.

Not once had any of them entered that cursed classroom since the tragedy. Rumour had it that McGonagall was keeping the tower as a memorial for Dumbledore. Whether this was true or not, they didn't know, but Astronomy Lessons were now being held in the West Wing Tower.

With a side-long glance at one another, the trio took their seats as the Headmistress raised her wand and directed it at a large, cherry wood cabinet filled with bottles of varying shapes and sizes containing liquids of various colours.

"Is Firewhisky to your liking?" she asked congenially.

"Very much, so!" said Ron, enthusiastically. Harry and Hermione shared a look before nodding courteously. Both could remember well the first time Ron had tried Firewhisky. The reception of Bill and Fleur's wedding had been the turning point for Ronald Weasley.

Three glasses later, and he and Hermione were in a perfect relationship. It would have been a wonderful evening had it not been for Ron's seventh drink encouraging him to tell Ginny about their plans to leave for Godric's Hollow the following morning.

That argument had been the last time Harry had seen Ginny, and he still felt goose bumps erupting at the thought of how he had left everything. She wasn't going to forgive him, she wasn't prepared to wait, he was sure. He knew she wouldn't, but it shattered his already fragile heart into tiny pieces when he was forced to consider the thought of returning from the war without her there to greet him.

They_had_settled their argument eventually, and she had promised that she would wait for him, but Harry wasn't feeling very hopeful. It had been nearly two months, now. She was so beautiful, and there was no way that she could have been at Hogwarts for three weeks, and survived so long without at least getting offers. He didn't blame her in the slightest, but he was still sticking by his feelings that Ginny was safer away from him.

It had worked so far, and if keeping her safe required sacrificing his life with her, he was prepared to continue on with his quest without her. The whole Weasley family deserved to be safe before the two of them could reconcile; he couldn't bear the thought of having to tell the Weasley's that their only daughter had died because of him.

At least she was safe at Hogwarts, well saf_er_anyway, and there was nothing he could do to ease his own gnawing guilt about the situation until the war was over. If she wanted to wait for him, she would. Only Ginny could decide on what it was that she wanted, and Harry, and everyone else too, would just have to accept her decisions.

Pulling Harry from his silent musings, McGonagall cleared her throat and settled herself back down with a heavy sigh. They sat in silence for a few moments, not sure on how best to approach the situation.

"Well, do you have any leads?" she asked finally, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer. They couldn't mistake her slight desperation, either. Clearly she was suffering, and like them, she felt the sooner this ended, the better.

Harry sighed.

"Erm, no" he replied heavily. "We've destroyed all but three Horcruxes, or so we believe. We still have no idea who R.A.B is, and no clue as to the location of the three missing Horcruxes. If this R.A.B guy destroyed the locket after retrieving it, then we're down to two; Nagini and the final Horcrux. Professor Dumbledore," he nodded at the portrait behind the desk, "believes it belonged to either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, but at the moment, we can't be certain about that. The diary, the ring, and Hufflepuff's cup have all been…amended, you might say."

"Where did you find the cup?" McGonagall asked, eyes wide with surprise.

"Well that was a stroke of pure genius on Ron's part, actually," Harry replied, smiling. Ron's ears flashed their warning signs as he grinned. "We were in Diagon Alley, and there was this old junk shop. We remembered it from a few years ago when we met Percy Weasley in there, but we haven't been in since. Ron thought it'd be fun to have a look around, but we weren't going to until he dragged Hermione in backwards. It was on a shelf at the back of the shop."

"That was lucky, then. I do find it hard to believe that it was so easy to find, though. Why would Voldemort be so uncaring about one of his Horcruxes? Are you sure it was Hufflepuff's and not just some ordinary cup?"

"Positive. Its destruction had the same affect as the diary. I don't think he has the patience to watch over all of his Horcruxes. It was the same with the diary. He's probably focusing on the ones that are more important to him. The lengths he went to when guarding Slytherin's Locket are _astonishing_." He shrugged slightly, hinting at the fact that it was only a theory, before sighing quietly and fixing the Headmistress with a curious stare. "So, where do we go from here?"

McGonagall sighed and leant back in her chair, a small, thoughtful frown creasing her brow as she gazed at the three of them, lips pursed. After a moment's contemplative pause, she shrugged half-heartedly, before finally answering.

"We have two choices, from what I can see. We can either focus our energies on finding the identity of this R.A.B, or we can leave that Horcrux until last and search for any known artefacts belonging to the Founders. As for Nagini-"

"She'll be with Voldemort," Harry finished, ignoring the shudders from Ron and McGonagall.

Hermione was lost in thought, leaning her chair back on two legs, arms folded, with a peculiar expression on her face. She looked over at Harry, and as his eyes met hers, the unspoken proposition hidden within them suddenly became incredibly readable. Pretty sure he knew what she was about to suggest, he resolutely shook his head in outright refusal.

"Ooohh no. Nope, no way, Hermione. We are not going down _there_. Have you any idea how much panic that could cause? Besides, they aren't really feeling very friendly towards us at the moment."

"But they have _contacts_, Harry," she replied patiently, as if trying to argue her point to an over-excited ten-year-old. "There's a lot that they can do that we can't. How do you know they won't be able to find information on either of these problems?" she asked, her eyes dancing with enthusiasm at the idea.

Ron was staring avidly at Hermione, clearly hoping for her to elaborate on the plan the two of them appeared to have hatched between them. McGonagall was watching Harry. But unfortunately for the both of them, Harry and Hermione were not paying either of their spectators the slightest scrap of attention, suddenly completely absorbed in their rapidly becoming heated discussion.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but that kind of move could cause World War III,_literally_! It wouldn't just mean handing over the Wizarding World to Voldemort, but the Muggle World as well. They'll end up thinking Hitler's returned from the dead or something! You know what they're like; they'll find a way to explain away all of the natural disasters with something like an atomic bomb. 'Enola Gay returns', or something like that!" Pausing, he frowned, rolling his tongue against his front teeth as he cocked an eyebrow. "Hmm, I always wondered what happened to that bomber, you know. Did anyone ever find it?"

But after a couple of seconds, Harry seemed to notice his sudden trip from the topic at hand and shook himself free of his spontaneous musings. "No, Hermione, it's _too dangerous_!"

"Wow, Harry! How on _Earth_ did you know about that? Enola Gay, there's a name I haven't heard in years," Hermione said excitedly, also forgetting what they were supposed to be arguing about.

"I_did_ go to a Muggle School, Herms. That really boring lesson called History was of some use, however vague and unimportant it was," he muttered darkly. He had always disliked History. It had been one of the few lessons that he had shared with Dudley and his gang. The only reason he could remember about Hitler's reign and The Atomic Bomb was because Dudley had been absent from school that week with the flu. His cronies had skived, not remotely interested in receiving an education, but Harry hadn't really felt a need to complain about that.

Blushing, Hermione's mouth clamped shut and she nodded, embarrassed. "Oh, sorry, I forgot about that." It took her a moment to realise that she too had wandered far from their original discussion, but it didn't take her long to jump back into it. " But that's not the point! They could help! They've got spies on both sides, you know. They probably know everything already! Maybe if we just asked them-"

"And how do you suggest we go about introducing this suicidal idea to Scrimgeour?" Harry spat back, feeling distinctly nettled. "I mean he's still pretty pissed with me at the moment, because I'm refusing to talk to him about Professor Dumbledore's death. How can I go up to him and say, 'Hi, sorry to bother you and all, but can you please grant us permission to visit our _extremely_ native friends?' Get real, Hermione, he won't risk anything that shows the Ministry in a bad light! He's as bad as Fudge when it comes down to his reputation!"

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find anything to say to that. She swallowed and looked around the room, her eyes coming to rest on their staring company. She suppressed a laugh, waiting for Harry to explain. Harry, however, was wearing a glazed look and staring blankly at the wall just above Hermione's head.

"Hermione, you're a genius," he whispered a second later, eyes wide as saucers.

"Come again?" she replied after a moment's distracted pause, snapping her eyes back to his face. A small, mischievous smile was gradually gliding onto it as he turned to stare at her through sparkling eyes.

"You know what? I think we _should_ ask them. But, I also think we should keep it private, if you know what I mean. Scrimgeour isn't going to like it, but then we don't like him, so that cancels that out. How to go about this is a different matter, though…"His voice trailed off and he blinked, finally registering the three blank faces watching him with fascination.

"Excuse us Headmistress, Ron, but we'll update you in a minute," he said as politely as he could. They nodded, dumbfounded, as Harry jumped to his feet and dragged Hermione from her chair, marching her out of the handsome door to the spiralling staircase.

"Herms, have you ever seen a television program called Twenty-Four?" he asked hurriedly as the door closed behind them with a click.

"You mean the one with Kiefer Sutherland?"

"That's the one," he whispered excitedly.

"Yes, I've seen it, but what's your point?" Her expression was shrewd and suspicious as she watched his face light up with excitement. What was he up to?

"Well, I'm not sure which one it is, but there's an episode where Jack goes undercover and visits a mini American terrorist group, one he used to be involved in. Strictly business relationship, of course. Anyway, he finds out about plans to blow up CTU. I think it's on series two, but that doesn't matter. Well, what if we tried something like _that_? What if we tried getting captured?"

Hermione stared at him in silence, and then let out a snort of laughter.

"Sure, Harry! Let's get ourselves caught by Death's missionaries so we can get to his higher levels. Then they'll hand us over to Him and we'll have a nice, cosy chat about Lord Voldemort! How stupid do you think they are?" she laughed. "At least what I said didn't include our imminent deaths. They'd fry us on the spot, Harry!"

"No, they wouldn't, because we have something they need," Harry replied slowly. Hermione raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Oh, and what's that?"

Harry paused, then pulled out his wand and pointed it at the ceiling.

"Magic," he said simply, as a shower of rose petals fell gently around them before vanishing at knee level.

Hermione stood, rooted to the floor and gazed at the wand in Harry's hand. Something seemed to click in her brain, and she stared at Harry in awe.

"Of course," she muttered. "You're right, they have _everything_ they could ever want, but the one thing they_ need_ is something they have no supplies of...So if we allowed them to catch us … they'd spare our lives because we'd make them a deal!"

Harry nodded, smiling.

"We can show them magic, making them think that we'd actually let them use it. Say something like, 'give us info and see our magic' to get what we need. We'd have to offer them something though, like Dumbledore did with the Giants. McGonagall could probably help with that."

"Then it just leaves getting out of there before they change their minds and decide to eat us on the spot."

"That'll probably be the hard part," Harry agreed. "Do you think it could work?"

"It's a long shot, but it might. Are you sure there's no other way to get the information we need, Harry?" Hermione asked nervously. She sighed as Harry shook his head.

"We need to find too much. Voldemort's moving out into the open more and more each day. We have to end this quickly, and I just don't think we have the time to find everything we need. If visiting Death works, we could have our answers by the end of next week!"

"Right, well, I guess we should tell them what we've suggested," Hermione replied, clapping her hands in an annoyingly brisk fashion, similar to the way business salesmen do when closing a highly beneficial deal.

Harry knocked once and they both re-entered the Head's Office.

"Sorry about that," Harry said, glancing at McGonagall. "We think we may have a solution."

"What's 'Elona Fay'?" Ron burst out without warning.

"Oh,_honestly_, Ron! 'Enola Gay' was a bomber, a Muggle fighter plane, which dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima, Japan. Don't worry about it, it's not important at the moment, but maybe_ you_ should consider taking up Muggle Studies as a hobby if you're going to ask questions about every little thing we say!" Hermione snapped impatiently.

Ron was about to snap back when Harry called, "Death!" to halt the argument. It worked, too.

"Excuse me?" replied McGonagall after a moment's silence.

"Hermione and I think it's a good idea to contact Death. He most likely has all of the answers we're looking for. If we get caught by his men, the Ministry need never know that we made an unauthorised visit to the Head of the Underworld. Their laws are different to ours. Trespass means immediate death for them, so they won't tell the Ministry anything about it, will they? Offer him magic, we get answers, swap a gift of some sort and get the Hell out of there before he can change his mind. Simple enough, don't you think?"

The silence spiralled, the atmosphere so thick it could probably have been cut through with a knife ... or at least it was until Ron burst out into a fit of infectious giggles.

"Visit Death! Ha ha, that's funny, Harry! But even_ you_ wouldn't come up with an idea as stupid as _that_!" He looked at Harry's face and his laughter died instantly. "Oh my God...you're _serious_, aren't you?" he muttered.

"Yes, Ron, he is," Hermione retorted angrily, "and it was _my_ idea, not his!" Ron suddenly looking like a beetroot with bad sun-burn, blinked and turned to intently scrutinising the floor.

"Do you think there's even the remotest possibility of this working, Potter?" McGonagall whispered in surprise.

"Well, like Hermione said, it's a long shot," Harry replied.

The Headmistress examined his determined face, which was mirrored perfectly by Hermione, and sighed deeply.

"Well, it could indeed solve our problems if he has any knowledge, but I hope you understand how incredibly dangerous it is. As Harry said before - I presume you were talking about this - if your visit goes wrong in any way, we could be looking at World War III. Are you sure you want to do this? Can you cope?"

"Yes," they replied, staring determinedly back at her. Ron leaned across to Hermione and whispered something. She nodded, and smiled.

"Well, I think we should get back to the library, you two!" she said finally, standing up. McGonagall nodded vaguely, staring at the rolls of parchment scattered pell-mell across her desk. "Yes, I have some paperwork to get through before sunrise, so I shall arrange another meeting to discuss how we will go about this. I would like you to remain here at Hogwarts until we have finished. I know you were planning on returning to Godric's Hollow, but it will be much simpler and easier all round if we are all in the same place."

Harry and Ron stood, nodding to the Headmistress as they got to their feet, and made their way over to the door. Hermione pulled it open for them and walked silently from the room, the boys behind her.

"Good night, all!"

"G'night, Professor," they called back, walking out onto the staircase. But Hermione had barely reached out to close the door behind Ron when McGonagall called them back.

"Hold on, Harry could I speak with you in private for a moment, please?" she asked.

"Er, yes, all right," Harry replied. He looked over his shoulder and spotted Ron and Hermione's questioning looks. He shrugged and entered the Head's Office again.

"We'll wait outside, Harry," Ron called.

Nodding, Harry closed the door and walked back over to McGonagall's desk, his curiosity highly noticeable. She smiled, and got to her feet, walking back around the desk to stand in front of him. There was a moment's silence as she considered him over the rim of her glasses.

"I wanted to know if you found anything of use at your parent's house, Harry," she finally said tenderly, leaning against her desk with her arms folded. Harry gaped at her. This was not the kind of conversation he had expected, and he wasn't totally sure he could talk about that, right then.

"No, nothing of great importance, Professor. The charms must still be on the house, because everything was still there, rubble mostly. But no-one seems to have even attempted to clean it away. I think there must still be Muggle-repelling charms on it, or something."

McGonagall studied him, and placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.

"No I didn't mean that, I was wondering if you found closure, rather than physical items," she said gently. "Did it help at all, visiting their graves?"

Harry was silent, thinking about how best to voice his answer.

"I'm not sure. Ron and Hermione thought I was fine, but I've been keeping a lot from them lately. I just can't talk to people anymore. It's great that I've got them with me, and I'm honoured that they chose to come with me instead of staying at The Burrow, but I can't show that kind of emotion in front of them. Seeing 'The Chosen One' break down is hardly going to boost their morale, is it?"

He paused, chewing on an idea that had been on his mind ever since he'd first laid eyes on his childhood home. Avoiding McGonagall's gaze, he turned to stare unseeing out of the window.

"I think … after the war … I'm going to work on rebuilding their house, like a memorial or something. That's probably when I'll find closure. Until then, though, I _can't_let their deaths interfere with my life. There's too much at stake, too many lives at risk, and gambling them away just so I can have a cry over my dead parents isn't right."

The Headmistress looked over her glasses at him and shook her head, sighing.

"You've had to sacrifice so much, Harry. You're seventeen, and you've missed out on so much that you should be able to have at this age. Family, love," Harry's heart leapt as a special red-head burst into view in his head, "the chance for a normal life. And now you're even shutting away your emotions. I'm actually quite surprised that you haven't crashed already. Alright, year five was a pretty funny year for you, but you're handling things remarkably well for a seventeen year old. Which is why, I would like to ask a great favour of you."

Harry could sense another burden being prepared to be dropped full-weight onto his head. As if his life wasn't bad enough as it was, now what was she expecting him to do, on top of everything else?

"And what would that be, Professor?" he sighed. She seemed to know what he was thinking about.

"I'm really sorry I have to ask you this, Harry, and if I could ask anyone else, I would. Believe me, I'm kicking myself inside, but I just don't think anyone else has the skills." She paused and looked Harry straight in the eyes. "Harry, I want you to take Dumbledore's place as Head of The Order of the Phoenix."

A silence unlike any other they had heard that evening erupted around them. The portraits became Muggle photographs, and even the howling wind was holding its breath.

Harry stumbled backwards, staring at her in shock. _That_was unexpected.

"You, y-you're kidding, right? You can't be serious! I'm seventeen, I've been a member of the Order for less than _two months_, and you want me to take over for the most incredible wizard that ever lived?" he cried softly. "_Please_ tell me you're joking, Professor!"

"No, I'm not, Harry," she sighed. She turned to Dumbledore's portrait and spoke clearly to him. "Would you agree that Harry is the best candidate for the job, Albus?"

Dumbledore considered Harry for a moment, reading the shock on his face and wide-eyed expression from above the tips of his steepled fingers.

"Yes, I think I would, Headmistress," he said gently. "However you can not force him, it must be his choice. He has, after all, suffered a great deal, and it is an _enormous_ responsibility. If you believe he is ready, then I too feel he is the best person to bear the burden."

Harry stared at him in shock. "How can you all work out that _I'm_ the best option? What skills do I have that adults like Mr Weasley and Professor Lupin don't?"

"Harry, you can perform under pressure," McGonagall declared proudly. "The Triwizard Tournament, The Department of Mysteries, The search for You-Know-Who's Horcruxes, your whole _life_, in fact. So many problems and trials have been thrown out in front of you, and you've survived them _all_. No-one else in the Order has that kind of experience. I don't even think anyone in the Ministry has been through the same amount of traumas that you have.

"Only you and Professor Dumbledore know the full contents of that prophecy, Harry. No-one has told me or anyone else. Though I'm guessing Miss Granger and Mr Weasley know, too," she added, smiling slightly.

"However, I am _not_an unintelligent woman. I strongly believe that the prophecy has stated that _you_ are destined to destroy Voldemort. What better way to give faith to the Wizarding World than to rule the organisation that is working tirelessly against him? You may not wish to divulge into the prophecy's contents with me, and that is perfectly understandable, but I have a strong inclination as to its concealed information, Harry."

She fell silent, watching him for a response.

Harry felt odd. McGonagall _had_ changed quite a bit, thinking about it. She seemed to be more in control, and have more knowledge than what had previously been let on. Harry was beginning to see the reason she was made Headmistress.

A part of him thought the idea was incredibly stupid, and could cause nothing but trouble for everyone involved. The other part actually felt that he should have been expecting an offer like this ever since the uncovering of the prophecy. But was he ready? Well, that answer was easy, really. No. Was he prepared to accept it, though? That was an easy answer, too.

"I would like to ask for one condition, Professor," he spoke quietly, trying to sound like he was still making up his mind.

"And what would that be, Potter?" McGonagall asked briskly, swiftly returning to her usual strict manner. Harry was sure he caught her eyes widen though, and she knew she had him convinced.

"Ron, Hermione and myself want to become Animagi. We've been thinking that having a disguise like that may be highly beneficial for us during this war. The only problem is, we don't think we have enough time. Would you be prepared to allow us to have private lessons with you in order to become Animagi quickly? I know it took years for my dad, Sirius and Wormtail to become them, but they did it illegally, and we have to get this done immediately if it will hold any profit for us."

McGonagall calculated him briefly before smiling warmly.

"I'm sure we can work something out, Mr Potter. That condition seems perfectly fair," she said brightly, but her tone became more serious as she watched him. "Are you sure you can cope with this, Harry? I can work on finding somebody else if it's one burden too many."

Harry shook his head, accepting what they both knew deep down had been inevitable. No-one else was properly prepared to handle something as big as this, and a small part of Harry felt he most likely wasn't fully prepared, either. Both Dumbledore and McGonagall felt he was, so that would just have to be good enough for him, too.

"Very well, then I must thank you with greatest sincerity, and offer my best luck to you for your most recent responsibility. I shall organise an Order meeting for tomorrow evening, during which we shall place the wheels in motion, so to speak. Thank you, Harry," she said softly. She squeezed his shoulder encouragingly and smiled. "Now out, Potter!"

"Thank you, Professor," Harry replied quietly. He turned to the door, walking out as quickly as he could without looking too suspicious. He reached the corridor and found Ron and Hermione standing anxiously by the stone gargoyle, waiting for him.

They watched in silence as Harry leant against the wall, eyes closed.

"Well, that was interesting," he forced out finally, trying to inject a little happiness into his voice. None apparently left with his words, though. He sounded drained and worried, and fell back into silence a second later as his friends gazed at him in mild curiosity.

"So, are you going to tell us what happened, then?" Ron blurted out excitedly, unable to maintain his cool and collected facade.

Hermione made an impatient noise and grabbed Ron by the arm, pulling him off down the corridor.

"Ow, blimey Hermione, what's got your wand in a knot?"

"Come on, let's get to the Library. We can talk later," she muttered.

Reluctantly, Harry followed, deciding to improve his mood before telling Ron and Hermione about his latest task. Telling them now would only lead to a mass argument between them, so it was probably best to wait until he was in a more talkative state of mind.

Unfortunately for Harry, though, studying in the library wasn't really the best possible way to put him into high spirits.

* * *

**Thanks for reading my humble fan-fic. Please review, it makes me happy. I love hearing your thoughts, and all are welcome!**

**Blessed Be,  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx **


	3. Nighttime Meetings and Broken Bones

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor****  
****by****  
****xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**Enter the Doctor & Rose. Fanfic, meet crossover! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Night-time Meetings and Broken Bones**

The TARDIS was out of control.

The unorthodox blue police box flew haphazardly through the tunnel of never-ending spirals, stars and colours, hurtling through time and space without a hope of being halted. The little light sitting proud on top was flashing dangerously, sending out unanswerable distress calls to anyone who could pick them up. But there was no-one else.

"Pull that lever down, quickly!"

"Which one ?!"

"_That_ one! No, not that one, _that_one!"

Rose pushed her way passed an anxious Doctor and reached for the large lever he was pointing at. She pulled it downwards and a green light burst into life on the monitor in front of her.

"Good. Now press the button to the left of the screen and hold it down for seven seconds!"

Rose did as she was told, her heart thumping wildly. They had been in situations similar to this before, but that had been with the old Doctor. Rose was getting used to the new Doctor by now, but she couldn't easily forget the strange 'episode' he'd had after his regeneration. The Doctor behind the wheel of his 'frankly magnificent time ship' was still worrying her immensely. If they survived this, she would never doubt him again… but they had to survive first.

"What exactly is the problem?" she asked nervously, watching his face change from nervous to petrified with one look at the monitor.

"The TARDIS is being intercepted!" he replied hurriedly, trying to catch his breath as he dashed backwards and forwards in front of her. "Something's drawing us deep, _deep_ into space, no idea where, no idea when, no idea why. But whatever it is, it wants us. And by Hell, it's getting us!"

He looked up in time to see Rose glance at him, her eyes wide in fear.

"Oh, but don't worry. I can handle it," he said quickly, unable to disguise the panic as effectively as he had hoped. He pressed a small button and sparks erupted instantly and launched themselves at his face. He ducked slightly, wincing, before reaching for a large dial and turning it at a skilful rate. Rose ignored his last comment.

"Something's intercepting The _TARDIS_?" she repeated incredulously. The Doctor nodded and she switched her gaze back to the screen in front of her.

'_Oh, we're in trouble!_'

"Hold on, here we go!" the Doctor called. He reached over and grabbed her hand, roughly pulling her closer to him. The TARDIS flew on, small explosions rocking it from the outside, pushing and pulling violently against its miniature framework as it hurtled full-pelt through the Time Vortex. Rose and the Doctor hit the floor, hands clasped tightly together, hearts beating madly and cries of shock ripping from their throats.

Rose jammed her eyes tight shut, squeezing the Doctor's hand finger-breakingly hard as somewhere deep inside the TARDIS a loud, reverberating clang burst into life, quite obviously signalling disaster. Biting back a cry of horror, she pulled herself as close to the Doctor as she could, silently praying for the chaos to end.

'_Never again will I doubt this man if he gets us through this…_' she promised herself, suddenly wishing she'd said a longer goodbye to her mother when they'd last left the Powell Estate. Because as it was, it didn't look as if she was going to get another chance.

* * *

"Harry?"

"What?"

"Are you ready to spill, yet?"

Harry sighed and looked up from behind the four inch tome he was trying to digest. Ron was watching him eagerly, clearly forgetting how worried his best friend had been about an hour before. Hermione sighed too and gave Ron a 'you're such an inconsiderate prick, Ronald Weasley' look.

"What?" he whispered back, in response to the painful glare he had received. "Aren't you even a _bit_ curious?"

"No!...Well …well yes, all right I am, but I'm also prepared to wait until he's ready to tell us himself, Ron. Have you no patience?"

"Hey, I'm a chess player! If anyone's got patience it's _me_. God knows I need plenty of it whenever I end up playing against you or Harry!"

"We're still here, you know! Have you quite finished insulting your best friends, Ron?" came Harry's indignant response. He glared over the top of the book at Ron, whose ears were burning red again. Ron however, kept a straight face and stared unblinkingly back.

"Well it's true! Oh, but I must say, you're improving a lot, mate! Really coming along!" he added hastily as Harry prepared to send across daggers. Harry nodded and returned to his book.

"Gee, thanks!" he muttered, sarcastically.

"Anytime!" Ron smiled. His tone became more serious as he spotted the look of intense apprehension alight on Harry's face. "What's happened, Harry? What did McGonagall say to you?"

Harry snorted his derision, absently turning a worn, stained page with trembling fingers as he stared at the text without seeing it.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. I don't even think I believe it happened, to be honest. Maybe if I don't mention it I'll find it was just a dream or something. Maybe it _didn't_ happen. You wouldn't believe me!" he added when he spotted two pairs of raised eyebrows in front of him.

"Try me," they said in unison. Harry felt a smile threaten the corners of his mouth in spite of himself. They really were well suited for each other.

Ron and Hermione waited with bated breath, hoping he would elaborate. Harry studied them both briefly before slamming the book shut and dropping it onto the table with a dull thud. He stood up and began pacing up and down in front of them.

"McGonagall wants me to take over for Dumbledore as Head of the Order of the Phoenix," he said, quietly.

Stunned silence.

Ron and Hermione gaped at him, mouths open and eyes wide with incredulity. The hush within the library at that moment must have been a record. It had never seen such quietness in all of its years of service.

"A-are…are you s-serious?" Ron stammered, when the silence following Harry's explanation seemed to become too unbearable.

"Dead serious," Harry replied. He sank into his chair again, weak-kneed. As he had said those words, the immense truth of them had hit him with as much force as a stampeding bull. They wanted _him_ to take over for _Dumbledore_! That was impossible!

"But you're _seventeen_!" Hermione screeched shrilly.

"You've only just joined the Order!" Ron added in awe, mouth hanging open.

"How can they expect_ you_ of all people to just jump in straight away, no questions, and govern the entire Defence Group? That's just insane!" Hermione shook her head violently and walked towards him, watching for his reaction. She looked terrified.

"Well that's what I said when she told me what she had in store for me. But her excuse was that no-one else had coped as well under pressure as I have in the past. Well, that's what she said anyway. What she_really_ meant was that none of the adults have faced Voldemort enough times to have the required 'experience'. They wouldn't be able to last if they faced him for the first time, they'd end up breaking down and losing it."

Hermione sat in silence, thinking hard. Ron just stared at Harry. They were taking this harder than he had thought they would. It wasn't what you would call reassuring. '_Christ, if this is the reaction I get from my two best friends, what are the rest of them going to say tomorrow night?_'

"Well, I guess this makes you my leader, mate," Ron spoke finally. "Wow, think of the power you're going to have. Does the rest of The Order know about this proposal yet?"

"No, McGonagall said we're to attend a meeting tomorrow to…ah…'place the wheels in motion'." Harry was going to tell them about their possible Animagi training, but thought better of it. There could be complications that stopped them from training. It was better not to get their hopes up, Ron's especially.

Harry sighed heavily and picked up the huge book again, flicking uninterestedly through the pages until he reached his break-off page. No sooner had he read the first three lines, he slammed it shut again.

"Oh, I can't do this now! My head's spinning. I think I'm going to turn in early tonight. It's not like we're in a hurry anymore, we can't leave Hogwarts. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Ron nodded and Hermione murmured a distracted goodnight. She seemed to be completely lost to the world, away in her own private haven. Harry wished dearly for his own haven, but every time he had come close to finding one, it had been invaded horrifically. He'd given up now. Everywhere he went was like Hell for him. Could he be sure that he hadn't died on one of the countless attempts at his life?

'_If this is life for me, what must it be like in The Underworld? I don't think I really want to find out._'

* * *

No sooner had Harry reached the Room of Requirement, however, preparing to walk through the open door towards 'sanctuary', he changed his mind about turning in early. He wouldn't be able to sleep now even if he tried. There was just too much going on inside his head. Instead, he made his way back downstairs, heading for the Entrance Hall, thinking a walk and a little fresh air would help him to gather his thoughts.

Moving quietly to avoid being noticed, he opened one of the huge doors just enough to let him squeeze through. He felt a strange pull around him as he stepped over the threshold, giving him the, now familiar, peculiar feeling of his mind being drawn from his body.

"It's me," he murmured to no-one in particular. After a couple of seconds it vanished; the wards parted and he was aloud to leave.

The cold evening air whipped delightfully at his face. He sighed heavily and began to make his way down towards the lake, trying to calm his nerves. Everything was happening at once. Dumbledore's death, Snape's betrayal, the Wedding, the argument, Godric's Hollow, and returning to Hogwarts. It was as though his entire life was on fast-forward, flying past him before he'd even had a chance to settle into his surroundings and make sense of them.

Harry dropped down onto the embankment and leant against a towering beech tree, slightly inshore. The Giant Squid was resting on the edge of the lake, half in water, half out, as tiny bubbles disturbed the stillness when it drew breath.

'_But you're seventeen!'_

'_You've only just joined the Order!'_

'_How can they expect you to jump in straight away and govern the entire Defence Group?'_

'_Well, I guess this makes you my leader, mate.'_

'_But you're seventeen!'_

Harry sighed and ran a hand over his face.

'_They're right. How can I do this? I mean, take over for Dumbledore? No-one could _ever_ replace him! And then there's the fact that in a few days I won't even _be_here any more. What am I supposed to do then?_'

"D'you hear that?" he called out suddenly. He looked up at the stars, taking in each one, and spoke to the heavens as though Voldemort would be sitting up there, listening. Harry decided he wouldn't be surprised if it turned out he was.

"You've ruined my life, you know. Everything's gone wrong because of you! I'm supposed to have a family, an education, a life. But instead I'm stuck with hunting you down! Connected to you in ways I can't even understand. Reduced to travelling to The Underworld just to figure out how to get rid of your sorry arse! Are you happy? Was immortality worth it? Was it worth being stuck in your hideout surrounded by freaks, cowards and spies, handing out death sentences to anyone you despise ?!

"And I swear to God, if I have to go down, you're coming down with me! You've destroyed my life, and I promise you I'm going to end yours! It's over for you, Riddle! It's _over_!"

There was a sharp intake of breath, and Harry looked behind him, heart thumping. He sat motionless, straining his ears for any tiny sound. A stifled sob glided over to him, coming from a small bush beside the lake, inches from where he was sitting. Harry jumped to his feet, pulling out his wand, and aimed it at the bush.

"Who's there?" he called nervously. "Show yourself! I mean it!"

There was a crunch and the rustle of leaves, and a small figure emerged from behind the bush, stumbling clumsily towards him. She stopped in front of him, eyes wide and tear-filled. Harry's mouth went dry. He lowered his wand and watched her silently, trying to remember how to talk.

They stood in silence for what seemed like hours, the wind whirling around them, their cloaks billowing gently. When the muteness finally became too much, Harry broke eye contact and sat down against the tree again, gazing out over the lake and resolutely refusing to meet her gaze again. An awkward moment passed by, during which time Harry's tongue returned. When he could finally trust it to form words, he ran a hand nervously up one arm and drew his knees into his chest.

"Hello, Ginny," he murmured.

* * *

Rose groaned and sat up slowly. She rubbed at her pounding head and stumbled to her feet, teetering dangerously. Overcoming the urge to throw up on the spot, she gazed blearily around the room and spotted the Doctor lying unconscious on the floor feet from her. She had apparently landed on top of him when they had fallen … funny, she wouldn't have minded if the circumstances had been a little different. The dull, foggy feeling in her brain disappeared as she looked at him, and she quickly realised that the Doctor lying on the floor unmoving was not a good thing.

"Oh no, Doctor!" she cried. Forgetting about her own sickness, she hurried over to him and dropped to her knees at his side. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

"Doctor, wake up!" she whispered urgently. "Doctor!"

The Doctor remained motionless.

"No," Rose muttered distractedly. She leant over him quickly and checked for his heartbeats. Holding her breath, she counted for both hearts, waiting in hope for him to show some sign of life. She sighed in relief when she heard them.

"Both working…Doctor, can you hear me?"

Nothing.

She sat back on her heels, thinking desperately.

'_What now?_' An idea hitting her a second later, she nodded to herself. '_Water!_'

She scrambled to her feet and dashed towards the kitchen, pelting through hundreds of doors, passing rooms she had never been in, rooms she was intensely curious about, and even rooms she was sure hadn't been there before.

Skidding to a halt in the large kitchen, she pulled a glass from the draining board and stuffed it under the tap, filling it to the brim with ice-cold water. Forgetting to turn off the tap in her haste, she turned on the spot and ran as fast as she could back to the Control Room.

She wasn't sure what to do with it when she was kneeling beside him once more. Did he take to freezing water? He wouldn't melt or something if she just poured it over him? He wasn't human, after all.

Instead, she held the glass up to his lips and tried to encourage him to drink.

"Oh, come on, Doctor, don't you do this to me!" she cried frantically.

His eye-lids flickered, and a small gasp left his lips. Rose could have cried with relief.

"Doctor?" she whispered, "Doctor, wake up!" She shook his shoulders gently and received a low groan as a response. He tilted his head slightly and slowly opened his eyes.

"Ow, what happened?" he mumbled. His voice sounded hoarse, and it upset her ears just to listen to it. He blinked, gazing up at her as if he couldn't see her properly.

"Oh, you know. Near death experience, unconscious companions, crash landings, the usual," Rose replied, smiling. She winced slightly as her head-ache from minutes before returned full strength, but she ignored it as best she could. The Doctor tried to sit up but she pushed him back down again.

"Wait," she muttered.

"What?"

"Well I've got to make sure you're ok," she replied with a motherly air. She could see him about to protest and he tried to raise himself from the floor again. She placed a hand on his shoulder and held him down. "Just relax a minute."

"Rose, we need to go!" But she glared warningly at him and dropped her other hand onto his chest.

He sighed and gave in. "I'm never going to win against you, am I?" he mumbled.

"No, you're not, now _relax_!"

Rose began to look over every part of his body, moving her hands over his chest, trying to remember everything her mother had told her about elementary health when she was a child. She smiled slightly at what Jackie would have said if she could have seen her daughter now. The Doctor gasped as she worked her way ever further down his body, past his stomach.

"Have you quite finished, Nurse Tyler?" he asked. Rose smiled and shook her head.

"No, not qui…" but he gasped again, for quite a different reason. "That hurts?"

"Congratulations on stating the obvious," he groaned. All teasing forgotten, she began to press gently onto his side, feeling over each section. She slipped one of her hands underneath his shirt and pulled it up so she could see his stomach. There was a large and evil looking bruise, and she sighed as she leaned in to examine it. He moaned as her hands pushed down on his abdomen and reached over to knock her out of the way. Before he could reach her, though, he cried out in pain and fell back onto the floor.

"Do you have ribs?" she asked, sitting up again and watching him worriedly.

"Of course I do, and a lot more than you have, too," he hissed, gritting his teeth against the throbbing pain.

"Well, you've broken one." It took her a moment to realise what she had said, but when it finally sank in, the guilt became overwhelming. "Oh no, I'm _so_ sorry!" she said, raising her hands to her face and covering her mouth in shock.

"What? It isn't that bad, honestly. I'm…" but he was interrupted.

"Could that be from when I fell on you before? Oh, Doctor, I'm _really_ sorry!" she gasped, tears welling in her eyes again.

"Rose, please, stop it right now," he called firmly. "It's nothing, and I've got plenty more. It'll just be a little sore for a few days, that's all." She didn't look convinced. "Look, will you just help me up?"

Rose lowered her hands and grasped one of his, pulling the Doctor to his feet. He growled inwardly but didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He was standing awkwardly and his face was scrunched up against the pain.

"Look, maybe you should go see…"

"Rose, I _am_ a doctor and there's nothing to be done about it!" he snapped. "It'll heal itself in a couple of days. And then there's the fact that any medical work performed on me would alter the entire future of modern science in ways I don't even want to think about! Oh, and on top of that," he paused, expression calming into one of faint puzzlement, "we have no idea where we are, and wherever 'here' is may not have 'doctors'."

Rose gasped her acknowledgement and stared behind her at the TARDIS door. Something extremely powerful had to be standing on the other side of that if they had managed to draw her and the Doctor to wherever they were now. She turned back to him and considered his face.

"What do we do?" she asked quietly. The Doctor winced again but straightened up quickly.

"We go and meet the neighbours," he replied. The light of adventure was burning brightly within his auburn eyes. His face was determined but unreadable in any other way, as he somehow managed to give off an aura of mystery and wonder. And power. For some reason, Rose didn't want to take her eyes from his face. He was such a strange person, so alien and yet so normal. What was it that he was doing to her? She shook herself mentally and blinked, looking away.

"Are you sure you can?" she asked briskly.

"Positive. There's nothing I can do about this and moping around here won't help. Anyway, it's already started healing. Time Lords don't worry about tiny injuries as much as you lot do. It's kind of strange actually, the way you all run around like headless chickens if you so much as cut yourself. Quite pathetic, you know."

"But that isn't a _tiny injury_, Doctor, that's a _broken bone_! What if there's some flesh-eating alien thing out there? You can't exactly run, can you?" she asked sceptically. "Oh and don't even _think_ about asking me to carry you, I don't do piggy-backs!"

The Doctor smiled and walked over to her. "See," he said as he stopped in front of Rose and grabbed her hand. "I can walk, I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I hate people fussing over nothing."

"Yeah, but…"

"Rose, stop it and lighten up a bit!"

He glared at her for a few seconds before dropping her hand and walking over to the door. But in contradiction to his vehemence, upon reaching it, he stopped, grimacing slightly, and placed a hand on his waist. Glancing back at Rose, who was watching him with a great deal of apprehension, expression one of open guilt, he shook away the pain and smiled cheekily.

"Well, are you coming, or what?"

* * *

**Please review. I like to hear your thoughts! Next chapter should be up soon. Thanks for reading!**

**Blessed Be!  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	4. Forgiveness and Acquaintances

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**Well I drummed this one out a little sooner than I thought I would. So YaY!  
**

**Thanksies**** for the reviews so far - Amaherst, neonout, Beth, LittleGinny15, Marcus S. Lazarus and Melon Fairy! All are greatly appreciated!**

**Read and Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Forgiveness and Acquaintances**

Harry gazed out over the Black Lake towards the towering mountains beyond. It was such a beautiful spot. Peaceful, too. If only for a second, the magnificence of that particular spot completely overwhelmed everything else in his mind ...

But then he could feel Ginny's eyes burning into the back of his head, and the moment was lost. Completely refusing to look at her, Harry continued to stare resolutely out over the vast expanse of water at his feet, leaving the silence to spiral horribly around them.

Without warning, there was a strange noise, almost like a car revving its engine up to speed, a sort of weird screeching or whirring, and it seemed to be getting louder and coming closer. Harry looked curiously up at the sky, but saw nothing. Turning his head to look at the Castle, he strained his eyes against the darkness, desperate to see whatever was making that peculiar sound … but then before he could consider it further, before he could pinpoint its location, the sound vanished, and silence broke out once more.

"What was that?" he muttered, more to himself than to Ginny. Ginny seemed have eyes solely for him and her lack of acknowledgment of the strange sound made Harry wonder if he'd imagined it. He would usually have investigated, but he was too tired at the moment, and most of his mind was entirely focused on the young woman standing beside him, despite his efforts to pretend she wasn't there. He pushed the noise from his mind and returned to gazing out over the still waters.

Ginny sighed, hiccoughing slightly, and shuffled forwards. Not bothering to ask for an invitation, she bit her bottom lip and dropped down onto her knees beside him, imitating his vacant expression as she studied the partly-submerged Giant Squid.

"I didn't know you were here, Harry," she said at last, tones hushed as she absently clasped her hands in her lap.

"Well, that was my intention," he replied, his voice empty and emotionless. "No one was supposed to know we were here." He hesitated, reluctant to elaborate, but before he knew it , the words were rushing from his mouth, tumbling over themselves in their haste to be heard. "I'm sick of people following my every move with pleading looks on their faces, begging me to make them survive the War. I'm sick of the way people become all distant and quiet whenever they're near me, like they'd kick-start some dormant power within me if they so much as look at me strangely. I don't have what everyone thinks. I'm not some superhero who isn't affected by emotions or attitudes towards me. It hurts! _A lot_, sometimes. I just wish people would treat me _normally_."

Harry fell silent. He hadn't voiced thoughts like that to anyone before, and yet here he was, sat with the one person he really didn't want to be with right now, revealing his inner-most desires. He'd forgotten how easy it was to talk to Ginny. Hell, it was easier than talking to Ron or Hermione, and _that_ was saying something.

Ginny remained silent. She couldn't think of anything she could say in response to his outburst that would make him feel any better. As much as it broke her heart to admit it, he was right.

"I thought you of all people would have understood, Gin. But no, you're just like everyone else. Self-pride, blind ignorance and personal moral values always spring forwards with you lot. You never take the time to think about what it might be doing to the other side. _Only you_ could be hurting, _only__you_ could be the victim. It's the same everywhere. Mankind, the human race…it's all so _wrong_." Shrugging sadly, he sighed and fell silent.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she listened, but she couldn't argue with him. He was right, again. She felt guilt eating away at her insides, but she could do nothing to reduce it. His words were the truth, and she hated herself for it. Ginny looked up at him and felt even worse when she noticed the teardrops sliding gently down onto the dew-drenched grass from his stunningly beautiful emerald orbs.

There was a tiny shuffling noise behind them, but neither Harry nor Ginny seemed to pay it any attention. Two figures, hidden by their own shadows and seemingly invisible to the world, crouched down unnoticed behind the bush that Ginny had sat behind before. Exchanging a mutual agreement of silence with short, sharp glances at one other, the rustling was muted. And they listened.

Harry looked up at the stars and thought about what to say next. He felt a twang of shame at the harshness of his words, but he still believed them to be true.

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive, but it's how I feel. You know why I had to leave. You _know_ why I broke it off. Believe me, it was the hardest decision I've ever had to make, and seeing the effect my reasons had on you broke my heart. I _hated_ myself for doing it, for leaving you behind. And I didn't stop you because I thought you were incapable. You've got to be one of the strongest witches I've ever met!

"I argued with myself for days afterwards. 'How does sending her away keep her safe?' 'What makes you think Voldemort would leave her alone if you weren't with her? You still have feelings and he'll know!' Well in the end there was only one thing that I could convince myself of, only one reason that made me feel it was the right decision." He sighed again, softer, this time.

"Gin, I left you behind because I love you."

A loud gasp from the bush went unheard by the young couple because Ginny covered it up with her own gasp. There was a beautiful smile on her face, and Harry had a sudden urge to lean forwards and kiss her.

But he didn't.

The silence stretched a little more, Harry resolutely staring out over the lake while Ginny furiously battled with herself, uncertain of what her next move should be. Finally, when the tension between them became too much, she slid onto the ground, stretched her legs out, then drew them close into her chest, wrapping her arms loosely around her knees. Shooting him a furtive glance, she sighed heavily when she noticed he was trying to avoid her gaze.

"You know, when I first met you, I thought you were…I dunno…_predictable_, I suppose…a famous face. I never used to like you for real, it was just a crush. Bedroom-wall-poster kind of crush, wild-and–unbelievable-story of the famous Harry Potter, wow-I'd-love-to-meet-him sort of thing."

Harry said nothing. He stared determinedly out over the lake, watching as the moon cast a dreamy glow over the dark clouds. The soft glow sent dappled rays of light shimmering over the grass at their feet.

Ginny followed his gaze as tears fell gently down her cheeks, her voice breaking with emotion.

"You were my hero, you know. Still are. The legend worthy of books, of stories and memories. A hot topic of discussion when others were seldom found. God, that was even before I _met_you." The tears were much more noticeable now, shining against the stark whiteness of her skin. She was shivering slightly, but otherwise ignored the cold she was only now beginning to notice. She had waited a long time to talk to him again, and wasn't about to let a little wind stop her.

"And then I did. I met the famous Harry Potter on Platform Nine and Three Quarters. And you were as polite and wonderful as I'd always heard about, always imagined you to be. My fairytale knight in shining armour."

Harry couldn't help but smile. It was a wonderful thing for her to say, and he felt a peculiar tingling sensation in the pit of his stomach …

But then he realised that _that_ wasn't really a good thing. He _couldn't_ be distracted _now_. There was too much at stake. He _had_ to finish this, and if _she_ was unveiling old feelings, he was going to lose his focus on the bigger picture …

Ginny, oblivious to his internal struggle, wiped forcefully at her eyes and continued.

"Well, after that the dreamy feeling I'd always associated with you was gone. It was replaced by something else, a beautiful feeling it was. One of warmth, security, life. To be honest, I was terrified to begin with. I even asked mum what she thought about it," she laughed. "And when she told me what she thought it was, I wouldn't believe it."

"Love," Harry whispered. There was another shuffle behind them, but again they ignored it. Harry simply put the noises down to nature, probably small animals moving around in the bush. And this was too important to walk away from. He had waited a long time to talk to her again, and he wasn't prepared to drop it all now, even though a significant part of him was all for running away. The part of him that had Dumbledore's face, the part of him that was trying to remind him of just how many lives were depending on his success …

He glanced at her, emerald eyes sparkling in the moonlight. "Love," he said again, this time to her face. She nodded and turned away.

"Well I told her it was stupid, impossible, nothing more than a fantasy. There was you, hero of the entire wizarding world, one of the most famous people ever to walk on this Earth. Then there was me, poor little Ginny Weasley, only daughter of a 'Muggle-loving unsuccessful Ministry of Magic employer', the sister of six and an immature little school girl with confidence issues. Mum never gave up, though. 'Miracles can happen', she said."

Ginny looked at him and found him gazing raptly at her face. She reached for his hand, and was surprised when he didn't pull away. Feeling a little more confident, she grasped it and held it tightly.

"And they have," she whispered, her voice breaking as the sob escaped before she could force it back. "I found you, and you accepted me. I didn't understand what my feelings were for you to begin with. But I do now. I love you so much, Harry."

Harry didn't know what to say. He reached forward and brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. As though she had sensed what it was that he had been longing to do, she moved closer to him, leaning in until their faces were almost touching. He cupped her chin and leant forwards, closing the gap between them until his lips were upon hers …

There was no mistaking the sound this time. A loud gasp broke the sleepy silence and both Harry and Ginny jumped to their feet. Harry drew his wand faster than blinking, rather like unsheathing a sword. Despite her thumping heart, Ginny couldn't help but admire Harry at that moment. He looked so powerful, so strong. The temperature suddenly dropped as the wind picked up, giving him a strange, misted look as it blew around him.

"Who's there?" he called out.

Silence. Harry reached out and pulled Ginny behind him, almost automatically, until he was shielding her from view. He straightened up and held his wand steady, directing his aim at the small bush.

"I'm warning you! You've got until three," he called suddenly. "One…Two…Thr…"

"All right, all right, don't shoot!"

Two crouched figures gingerly emerged from behind the bush and stumbled forwards, falling over the top in their haste to disentangle themselves from the shrubbery. Ginny looked quizzically at Harry.

"Shoot?" she asked, not understanding

"Muggle weapon," Harry replied, shrugging. "Muggles shoot guns." He looked back at the two people in front of them and his eyes narrowed. He'd never seen them before, so they were either working for Voldemort, or they were Muggles. As he thought about it though, a part of him realised that they _couldn't_ be Muggles. There was no way any Muggle could penetrate the castle's grounds.

The two in front of them _looked_like Muggles, though. They were wearing Muggle clothing and identical scowls as they brushed twigs and leaves from their hair and clothes.

One was an attractive, young woman - she couldn't have been older than twenty - with shoulder-length blonde hair and a pale complexion. She was dressed in typical clothing, a pale pink top and blue jeans. The other was a young man, probably a little older than the woman, with brown hair and astonishingly deep brown eyes. He was wearing a brown pinstriped suit - that completely contrasted with the worn pair of Chucks on his feet - and a rather disgruntled expression. He also seemed to be holding his side almost absentmindedly, as though he was in a great deal of pain but was reluctant to show it.

He was good-looking, no denying it, handsome in Ginny's opinion, but there was something mysterious about his presence. His very aura seemed to give off the idea of such mystery and wonder. Whoever he was, he had more than a few stories to tell.

The four of them stood in silence for what felt like hours but were only a few seconds. Harry kept his ground, wand covering both of the newcomers. Unconsciously he arched his left arm behind him, grasped Ginny's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Eventually, when the uncomfortable silence had been sorely tested for boundaries, the peculiar couple exchanged furtive glances before the young man turned to Harry, a bright – but quite clearly forced – smile on his face.

"You two_ really_ have a way with words, do you know that? Young love is such a beautiful thing." He was smiling at them in a friendly way, but Harry didn't return the gesture. Instead he stepped backwards, wand arm steady and level with the man's heart.

"One step closer, and I'll be posting you're bodies back to your Master, with a cutting of the Obituary page from tomorrow's Daily Prophet stapled to the front! Three guesses whose names it'll be advertising? That's a promise!"

The couple gaped at him, a little dumbstruck but attempting to disguise their discomfort, all the same.

"You're a very violent young man, aren't you?" the woman replied after a moment, smiling slightly. The man grinned at her as she said it, and Ginny had the impression it was a joke only the two of them would be able to interpret

"Not very wise, is it? Only two of you," Harry retorted, suspiciously. "He doesn't usually send you in pairs. What's wrong? Are you low in numbers, or something?"

The man's face suddenly became very grave, and there was a look of deep anguish in his eyes. Before he could say or do anything though, the woman stepped forward.

"Sorry, but who's 'He'?" she asked, politely but firmly.

Harry gaped at her. Ginny looked at Harry quickly, a mixture of nervousness and suspicion easily readable on her face, before she returned her gaze to the female.

"You weren't sent by Voldemort, then?" Harry asked. The woman shook her head quickly before glancing back at her companion. The man shrugged and stepped forwards once more. Harry lowered his wand slightly.

"Oh," he said. "Well, who the Hell are you then? How did you get here?"

"Lower that thing and we'll tell you," the man replied. Harry wasn't sure whether to trust him or not, but he didn't seem to be in complete health. Harry definitely had the advantage. He lowered his wand but didn't release his grip on it.

"Thank you. What is it?"

Harry watched him, eyes wide with shock.

"My wand, why?" he asked.

"May I have a look?" the man asked politely.

Harry glanced at Ginny, who looked as stumped as he was. He couldn't be Muggle then, so what was he? "Why?" he asked, suspicion evident in his tone of voice.

"Please?"

Harry hesitated and looked at Ginny once more with a look that said quite plainly, '_what do you think?_' She nodded briefly and he edged forwards, holding his wand out to the stranger.

"Hmm, eleven inches long, Made of holly…well, wood from the holly tree, obviously…and what's this? A phoenix tail feather? How_extraordinary_," he muttered to himself. The woman was staring avidly at Harry, her eyes lingering over the scar on his forehead. Harry blushed furiously and patted his fringe down, trying in vain to cover it. She blushed too, and hurriedly looked away.

"You're a wizard," the man said simply, handing Harry his wand back a second later as he fixed the pair with a piercing stare.

"Nah, you think?" Harry replied sarcastically. He reached forwards, took his wand, and placed it back into the pocket of his jeans. "So who are you then? You're not Muggles."

"Nah, you think?" the Doctor replied, grinning. "Well actually, yes. Rose here is. She's human…well…Muggle for you anyway. Human to me."

"So what does that make you?"

"The Doctor," the man replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry and Ginny swapped a look, eyebrows raised.

"Doctor who?" Harry asked, studying him innocently.

"Exactly."

Ginny stifled a giggle and even Harry seemed to be fighting the desire to smile broadly.

"Okay then…what do you want?"

"We have absolutely no idea," the Doctor declared truthfully. "We were brought here, we didn't ask to come. We were kind of hoping you could tell us where 'here' is."

"Are you serious?" Harry asked sceptically. "How can you _somehow_ find your way into the grounds of one of the most enchanted buildings in Britain and _not_ know where you are?"

He frowned as a small spark of realisation erupted within the hazel orbs before him, biting his lip as the Doctor turned to his companion.

"Ah, we're back on Earth, then," the Doctor said to Rose.

"Yeah, I kinda figured that out for myself when he said 'Britain', Doctor," she replied, smiling cheekily.

The Doctor rolled his eyes, mock-scowling.

"Well, for all _you_ know, we could have been in Britain on the planet Riolatapolita," he retorted hotly, eyes dancing mischievously as he attempted and failed to keep a straight face. Rose snorted.

"What, there are Scottish castles on the planet Riolatapolita?"

"There_might_ be," he replied vehemently, absently squeezing his side a little in an attempt to ease the pain. Rose laughed, but quickly stifled it when she spotted the look on the young girl's face as she considered the Doctor through disbelieving eyes.

"Back on Earth, you said …you're an _alien_?" Ginny half-whispered, her eyes as wide as saucers, reflecting the dancing moonlight. The Doctor nodded and studied her, a small smile on his face as he watched her expression change from disbelief to awe. Inclining his head a fraction, he took a step forwards and reached out for Harry's hand, shaking it politely.

"You're lucky, Harry. She's a beautiful young woman," he said. Harry stared at him.

"How'd you know…?"

"We've been sat behind that bush for the best part of ten minutes listening to you two lovebirds." He grinned, eyes gleaming. But his grin quickly became a grimace of pain, and he leant forwards, hands clutching at his waist.

"Doctor…"

"Leave it, Rose, I'm fine!" he snapped, straightening up as best he could but admittedly not making it all the way.

"No, you're not," said Harry quietly. "I think you should come with us. We can take you up to the Hospital Wing; Madam Pomfrey'll still be awake, she can have a look at that for you."

The Doctor opened his mouth to respond scathingly but Rose beat him to it.

"Thank you, that would be most helpful, Harry," she said briskly. The Doctor glared at her but said nothing as the pain increased.

"Okay okay," he muttered. "I _hate_ it when you're right!"

The four of them set off back to the castle, Harry and Ginny holding hands as though it was a perfectly ordinary thing to be doing. The Doctor glanced at their interlocked fingers and smiled sadly. Even after what he'd heard between them before, they hadn't forgiven each other properly. There were still boundaries that needed to be attacked before they could make it as a couple. He had to wonder if the two of them understood that themselves.

He glanced at Rose and saw with a pang that she too was watching their interlocked fingers, her expression almost wistful. Almost. Without thinking, he fell into step along side her and reached for her own, smiling at her warmly as he looped his long fingers through hers.

"_Wizards_?" she whispered, voice alive with hushed amazement. "As in magic and witchcraft, black cats and broomsticks?"

"Apparently," he whispered back. "Not quite as monotonic as that though. There's much more to it than just pointed hats and cauldrons. These guys go much deeper than that old superstitious stuff you humans celebrate once a year."

"Well from what we heard before, we're walking in the company of an extremely famous wizard. But he can't be older than _seventeen_! How does _that_work?"

"Well," the Doctor replied knowledgably, pondering vaguely as he considered Harry's retreating back. Shaking his head slightly, he smiled warmly and said, "age isn't a factor for everything. Look at me, Nine-hundred years old and still going strong…well, strong_ish_, anyway," he amended with a hiss as his side burned painfully again.

They were feet from the double doors now.

Harry and Ginny looked back to see the Doctor leaning onto Rose for support. They had stopped, and Harry stopped too, walking back towards them in silence, his expression forcibly neutral.

"Are you sure you can make it, Doctor?" he asked, concern clear in his tired-looking face. "You could wait here and I'll bring the school matron out here if you can't."

"No, I'm fine," he groaned, biting against the pain.

Harry nodded and turned to open one of the doors. He was about to say 'watch for the wards', but there was a cry from behind him and he whirled around in time to see the Doctor fall to the floor.

"Doctor!" Rose called out in shock, dropping to her knees with him and reaching out for his shoulder. Without thinking, Ginny ran through the doors, stopping for less than five seconds as she fought against the wards, before sprinting lightning speed towards the Hospital Wing.

Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at the doors. He didn't seem to notice the strange wind that blew up around him, or the energy and taste of power that he was creating by simply holding out his wand. Rose watched in shock as he cried out words of no particular meaning, fearing for his sanity.

"_Expecto Patronum_!"

His customary silver stag erupted from the wand tip and cantered off through the Entrance Hall, bounding up the marble staircase and out of sight, apparently not affected by the school's unmatchable security system.

"What the Hell was that?" Rose cried in shock. She was staring intensely at the wand in his right hand.

"Prongs has gone to find my two best friends, Ron and Hermione. They'll be able to help him," Harry replied quickly.

Unable to think of anything to say in response to that, Rose simply stared at him, mouth agape and eyes in desperate risk of popping from their sockets. Harry knelt down beside the Doctor and turned him over, checking for a pulse. He looked up quickly and saw Rose watching him.

"What do you want me to do?" she asked quickly.

"Hold him still," Harry replied. Faltering, he glanced up to see Rose staring at him as though he'd just sprouted a second head. "What?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

"He_is_ still!" she said, tones equivalent to those a teacher would use when trying to calmly explain to a hyper-active ten-year-old that two plus two equals four, not five.

Harry raised his wand and pointed it directly at the Doctor's heart once more. Rose was on the verge of telling him that the Doctor actually had _two_hearts, but then thought better of it when she noticed the look in his eyes.

He glanced at Rose and saw the fear in reflected in her own. Studying her apologetically, he cleared his throat and mentally prepared himself before speaking again. She looked almost as terrified as he felt.

The strange wind was rising, spiralling cyclone-style around Harry for a second time, and yet it was still seemingly unknown to him. It suddenly dawned on Rose what it was that he was about to do. Unable to find voice enough to protest, she stared at him, horrified.

"He won't be still for long," Harry said firmly.

* * *

**Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. Please review!**

**Blessed Be!  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	5. A Hogwarts' Healing Hand

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**Quick update this time. I'm on a roll!**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

**And again, thanks for the reviews, guys! All are read and appreciated.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**A Hogwarts' Healing Hand**

Even through the darkness Harry could see how pale the young woman had become. Her eyes fell onto the wand in his hand, to the way he was holding it so amazingly steady, not quavering in his aim at all. She looked down at the Doctor's face, and Harry quickly noted the emotions burning deep within her eyes. She really loved him, in so many ways.

But she couldn't tell him. So many secrets were kept within her that she was beginning to become overwhelmed by them all …

Harry shook himself mentally, clearing his throat in the hopes that it would clear his mind at the same time.

"What was your name, again?" he asked quietly. She turned to him, noticeably shaking, and locked her eyes onto his.

"Rose," she replied, her voice breaking. "Rose Tyler." She hesitated, eyeing him shrewdly before asking, "how old are you?"

"I was seventeen two months ago. July 31st," Harry said.

Rose stared at him. She paused, and then asked, "look, be honest. Have you ever done this before?"

Harry studied her long and hard. She really was a beautiful young woman. A Muggle, according to the Doctor. Barely five minutes had passed since she had stumbled unintentionally into a world completely unbelievable to her race, completely invisible. No motives, no reason; simply that she had been brought there. Well, nothing was ever a coincidence during these dark and dangerous times. Every sinister act, every mysterious occurrence happened for a reason. This was Voldemort. And yet as remarkable as it seemed, at that moment, even knowing that she was somehow involved with the War, Harry couldn't help but trust her.

"No," he said, quietly, sympathetically.

She sighed heavily and nodded in reluctant acceptance. Harry lowered his wand, stood up and moved around to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, tears welling. He was beginning to feel rather guilty with himself. She was the second young woman that night that he had seen in tears, and on both occasions, it had been his fault. He watched as she wilfully stilled her trembling hands and gazed up at him, wide-eyed.

"And…whatever it is that you're about to do…will it be painful?" she asked.

"Not nearly as painful as what he's going through now," Harry replied, heavily. "Internal bleeding isn't a very pleasant experience. I could wait, if you want. Ginny will be back soon with Madam Pomfrey. She'd fix him up in no time, but I'm not sure if he'd last that long, to be honest."

"But, but…but who said anything about internal bleeding?"

Harry stared at her.

"He did."

"But…but he hasn't said _anything_!"

"He didn't need to. The way he was holding himself, the pain he was experiencing, the bruising on his stomach. They all point to internal bleeding. That isn't a bruise if you examine it closely. It's blood."

Rose looked confused. "No…no it was a broken rib," she muttered wildly. "Even _he_said it was! Why would he agree with me when I said it was that if it isn't? How could he _not_ know about it being internal bleeding?" she asked tearfully.

"He_did_ know," Harry replied.

Rose was dumbstruck.

"But he wouldn't lie to me! He wouldn't keep something that serious from me if he'd known. Why would he do that?"

Harry shook his head, sighing heavily.

"I'm sorry, but I can't answer that one. You'll have to ask him."

Rose glanced around, looking strangely lost and confused with everything. Harry waited silently, feeling increasingly more nervous. If they wanted to help the Doctor, they needed to do it fast. Finally, she looked back at him, her face set.

"What will you do to him?"

"Hopefully stop the bleeding long enough to move him. I'm amazed he's managed to walk all the way out here with injuries like that. There's a spell, one that one of my friends came across while we were studying over the holidays. She was looking through a medical journal of one of the Founders. Only, it hasn't been used in years. No-one bothers with methods like this anymore. Perfect for us, because the spell won't be registered, which means the Ministry won't come looking for us if we ever perform it. So we practiced it. I haven't used it on a human-being before, though. Haven't used it on a living creature before, actually."

He sighed and turned to her.

"What do you want me to do?"

Rose stared at the Doctor before answering him.

"Do it," she said, firmly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Do it, but be quick!"

Harry nodded and turned back to the Doctor, determination set within his stunningly green eyes.

"Right, pull his shirt up," he ordered quickly. "The wound has to be visible if this is going to work."

Rose did as she was told, her fingers trembling as she loosened his tie and pulled it free, before unfastening the buttons on his shirt. Funny, she would have been more than willing to perform such an intimate act on any other occasion, bust she wasn't sure she wanted to see him like this.

Now that she thought about it, she hadn't seen his new chest before. It had only been a few days since his regeneration; a few days since the Sycorax…

Rose was pulled from her wandering thoughts when Harry raised his wand once more and pointed it at the Doctor, expression one of utmost concentration.

"Oh, you're not going to like this," he muttered. "I'm really,_really_ sorry, Doctor!"

Both Harry and Rose jammed their eyes shut, Rose vehemently turning her head away and dropping it against her chest, unsure about what was going to happen but pretty damn certain that she didn't want to witness whatever it was.

"_Viscus curatio_!"

As the words echoed ominously around her head, Rose suppressed an anxious cry as a soft, pale blue light burst from Harry's wand tip and illuminated the back of her eyelids. The strange light began to wrap itself around the Doctor's body, shrouding it in its eerie glow, the light burning marks into her mind despite her inability to see. For a moment, nothing happened, and as Harry forced his eyes open, fully aware that he needed to know what was happening despite his desire to _not_ know, he held his breath.

After a few heart-stopping seconds during which nothing of significance happened at all, the Doctor began to shudder violently. Rose gasped and placed her hands on his chest, the movement snaking through her tense arms enough to shock her eyes open again as she tried to keep him steady. Harry lowered his left hand and placed it on the Doctor's thigh, whilst still holding his wand steady in his right to keep the connection flowing.

He was mentally kicking himself for doing this. There weren't enough words in all invented dictionaries to describe how much he hated himself right at that moment. To inflict pain like that onto a complete stranger was near suicidal, and he also had good reason to believe that the spell he was using had been illegal at some point in history. That in itself was not a very comforting thought.

After about thirty seconds, Harry lifted his wand and the connection failed. The light faded, and the Doctor fell still. Harry looked quickly at Rose, who was paler than ever and looked like she was resisting the urge to vomit. She half-nodded at him and leaned forward, watching her companion anxiously.

"Doctor?" she called softly, tentatively squeezing his shoulder. "Doctor, can you hear me?"

Nothing.

Harry and Rose shared a horrified glance, turned back to him, and waited. Just as Harry was beginning to seriously doubt his own magical ability, there was a low moan from beneath them, and Rose gasped. To their pure delight, the Doctor groaned and began to stir. Harry sighed as intense relief washed over him and smiled at Rose, who positively beamed at him in return.

"Oh my God…it worked," Harry muttered faintly, more to himself than to Rose. "The spell actually worked…I _can't believe_ I just _did_that!"

Rose jumped to her feet and threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. Harry almost fell backwards but managed to steady himself at the last second, welcoming the embrace with dazed appreciation. "Oh, I could_kiss_ you, you know!" she cried happily.

The sound of rushing footsteps echoed across the lawn behind him, and Harry turned in time to see Madam Pomfrey and Ginny running over to them. Two simultaneous cracks rent the still night air and Rose cried out in shock as Ron and Hermione materialised feet in front of her.

"How did you…?" but Ron cut Harry off before he could ask.

"McGonagall's altered the Apparition field," he said quickly. "I heard mum telling George about it during the Holidays. Any member of the Order can Apparate within the grounds or castle at any time. She changed it the night after Dumbledore's death, saying she didn't want to have to go through something like that ever again. She was always thinking about the number of Order members who would have been perfectly willing to help that night but couldn't because they were unable to make it to Hogwarts in time."

Harry nodded in understanding and Hermione took advantage of his silence to uncover a few answers.

"You said you needed help, Harry. What's wrong?" she asked anxiously.

"There have been a few new arrivals this evening. And one of them happened to be seriously injured. I tell you, Herms, that new spell of yours is _amazing_!"

Ron and Hermione stared at him, his words taking a fair few moments to fully sink in.

"What have you done?" Hermione whispered dangerously. She looked rather menacing as she stared him out, willing him to answer her in any form of negativity.

"It's_okay_, guys. It worked," Harry said, smiling his reassurance. Hermione's face instantly relaxed, and she grinned in giddy relief. Ron looked stunned.

"You mean you used it? And it worked?" he asked in awe.

"Yep!" Harry replied, positively beaming now.

"Oh Harry, I'm _so_ proud of you," Hermione said softly, her face breaking. "I was beginning to worry about what would happen if I fell ill and neither of you two could do anything about it. I'm really glad you've cracked it!"

"Hell, forget about that! He's _amazing_!_Genius_!" Rose squealed. She looked like a hyperactive eleven-year-old as she bounded around them and threw herself onto the ground beside the Doctor. Ron raised his eyebrows in wonder but Harry simply shook his head, smiling.

"Don't even ask, Ron. Don't even ask."

Harry walked forwards and knelt down beside him, smiling. Ron and Hermione hovered behind, muttering to each other, smiles easily visible on every face against the soft glow of the moon.

The Doctor groaned again and sat up, eyes unfocused and his skin pale.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked quietly.

"Erm…yes, I think so," he replied, confused.

"Come on, I'll help you up." Harry offered his hand and pulled the Doctor to his feet. He swayed a little but managed to steady himself, just as Madam Pomfrey skidded to a halt in front of them.

"My_Goodness_, look at the state of you! Miss Weasley told me what happened, but there seems to have been a slight alteration to his condition in her absence. He doesn't seem to be as unconscious as he was supposed to be before," she said as she hurried forwards and began checking everything from his forehead to his toes.

Unfortunately for her, that was made a little bit more difficult by the Doctor examining himself at the same time, mentally registering the fact that all traces of his injury had apparently vanished, and that he was standing in the cold night air with his shirt completely undone.

"All thanks to him," Rose beamed. "Sorry, what was your name again?"

"Harry Potter," he replied smiling. "You have got to be the first person to _ever_ ask me for my name!"

Rose wasn't entirely sure if that was a good thing or not, but as his smile widened at her lack of understanding, and as she spotted the looks on his friends' faces, she decided that he was more than happy with the fact that _someone_ alive didn't know who he was.

"What's this, Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked, wide-eyed. "_You_did it? Well I never... That's _extraordinary_! And what a job you've done too. What was the problem?"

"Internal bleeding."

"Well I never…" she repeated, distractedly.

Rose suddenly remembered the little something that she needed to ask the Doctor, and walked over to him, hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.

"You lied to me, Doctor," she said quietly.

His expression changed from puzzlement to sadness faster than blinking. He looked up at her, apologetically, and sighed.

"I didn't want you worrying. Besides, I didn't realise it was as bad as it turned out to be. I thought I could handle it," he replied guiltily, staring at his feet. Rose moved closer and reached for his hand. "And have you quite finished?" he asked harshly as Madam Pomfrey began tracing her hands down his back, still muttering to herself.

"You need a thorough examination. Internal bleeding is no soft matter, I'm afraid. And I would like you to spend the night in the Hospital Wing, too. Simply as a precaution, of course. Well Potter," she called briskly. "I can't fault your work, it seems. You'd make a fine Healer. Now come along, all of you. You'll catch your deaths out here!"

Rose watched as she turned and began to shepherd Harry and his friends towards the castle, before turning back to the Doctor, tears brimming.

"How could you even think about hiding something like that from me?" Rose asked, sounding hurt as they began to make their way towards the castle. "If you'd_told_ me, we could have helped you _sooner_. I thought we told each other _everything_."

"Oh, and that reminds me," Harry said quickly, interrupting just as the Doctor opened his mouth to reply. "What were you two doing, listening in on mine and Ginny's conversation and exactly how much did you hear?"

Rose promptly forgot about her disappointment with the Doctor and glanced shiftily at him instead. He in turn scanned his surroundings for an escape route. When he was spared the courtesy of finding one, he returned to examining his laces.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I'm still trying to discover myself. Curiosity is apparently one of my newest qualities. I couldn't resist. Like I said before, you have an amazing way with words. Rose was in tears!" he smiled.

Rose glared at him and hit him playfully on the arm.

"Hey, I was not!" she replied, mock-scathingly. She stuck her tongue out at him and he rolled his eyes at her, shaking his head slightly. He couldn't hide his grin, though.

"What do you mean, 'trying to discover yourself'?" Hermione asked curiously, glancing back over her shoulder at him from her place at Ron's side.

The Doctor grinned at her lack of knowledge and Rose rolled her eyes, not liking the thought of them giving him yet another thing to feel superior about.

"It's been less than a week since my… never mind. You wouldn't believe me even if I told you. Let's just say I'm undergoing a little journey of self-discovery, only it's a little more 'in depth' than usual. Searching for_everything_, if you will."

"Come along! It's freezing out there!" came the Matron's sharp tones from the Entrance Hall.

"Is she always so… er… _professional_?" the Doctor asked conversationally.

"Only when it concerns me," Harry replied, grinning. "I'm her favourite patient. Must have spent half of my life in the Hospital Wing, when you think about it. What do you say, Ron?"

"It's_got_ to be more than half, Harry!" Ron laughed. "Quidditch injuries, inept teachers, mystical creatures who worship your very existence, demons of darkness," he smiled as he counted them off one by one on his fingers. "Hey, the reasons mount up! You have your own personal bed, don't you Harry?" he added, in mock-seriousness. "She keeps it perfectly magnificent and snaps at anyone who dares to even touch its feathery softness. Such a mother figure, our Matron!"

Hermione snickered but hastily turned it into a cough when she saw Harry's face.

"_What_? He's got a point, Harry!" she exclaimed as the six of them walked through the doors. Madam Pomfrey had already vanished from sight, presumably up the staircase.

There was a moment of silence as the wards examined them, the Doctor and Rose becoming uncharacteristically tense, but after a few seconds, the feeling of mental absence from their bodies vanished and they started to climb the marble staircase towards the upper floors. "To be honest, I'm amazed you've made it to your seventeenth birthday. But saying that, it's even more amazing that we've _all_ survived this long," she added thoughtfully. "Hmm, we need to start looking after ourselves a little more."

Harry's voice was becoming steadily less audible as they continued up the many staircases towards the Hospital Wing. "No can do, Herms," he muttered wearily, all lightness and enjoyment draining away, almost as though someone had left a tap running. "With a War on, the last thing we should be doing now is looking after our health." Ginny moved into step beside him and sighed heavily.

"You_shouldn't_ think like that, Harry" she mumbled. "I wish you _would_ start taking care of yourself more."

"Sorry, Gin. I would if I could, but I can't. We'll just have to wait, that's all." He stopped for a second, and leant against the corridor wall, pulling his glasses from his nose. He hastily wiped at his eyes and tried, but failed, to stifle a yawn. Ginny stepped across and reached for his hand, which was hanging loosely at his side as he fought to keep his eyes open. Both were completely unaware of the large smiles plastered over Ron and Hermione's faces at that point. The two of them walked past, smiling.

"You don't need us now, so we'll meet you back in the Room of Requirement, Harry," Ron called, glancing back. Harry nodded and half-heartedly raised his hand to show he had heard. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand and together they walked on down the corridor, talking quietly to each other.

Harry sighed and, leaning against Ginny slightly for support, dragged himself from the wall and continued down the corridor towards the open doors of the Hospital Wing.

The Doctor suddenly halted in his tracks, causing Rose to walk straight into him. She hissed angrily in annoyance but her expression quickly softened as she looked up at him. He seemed to be battling with himself, as though daring himself to do something that a part of him didn't really want to do. He stared at Harry, worried, curious and confused.

"Harry, I think I need to talk to you," he said, quietly. Harry stopped and turned to him, frowning slightly.

"What about?" he asked. His voice was slightly slurred, as though he was beginning to forget how to use it. The Doctor quickly registered how drained Harry was looking. There were large dark circles beneath his eyes, which were fighting – and losing to - the urge to close on him. He also looked rather pale, and thin too. Unhealthily so. He wasn't eating properly, it seemed. The Doctor sighed and stepped forward, deciding that his indecisiveness would have to wait.

"Well, you've just saved my life, you're talking about a War, Rose and I have been pulled out of our own timeline into this remarkably bizarre place, and I can tell that there's something bothering you from the way you look. It seems to me that you need to talk to someone a lot more than I do, if I'm honest. There's something on you're mind, and I'm relatively certain that you could _really_benefit from a friendly discussion."

Harry sighed and leant against the wall once more. Ginny's fingers interlocked with his and he squeezed them gently before looking at her, apologetically.

"Gin, could you give us a moment? Go and find Madam Pomfrey and tell her we'll be with her in a few minutes. Please?" he added slightly pleadingly as she simply stared at him. Ginny nodded and disappeared through the doors into the Hospital Wing.

Harry knelt against the wall and sank to the floor, his arms hanging over his knees and his eyes closed.

"I was waiting for something like this. Unfortunately, you're asking for answers that I can't really give. Mainly because I don't know anything about where you're from or what you're doing here." He opened his eyes and locked them with the Doctors', his expression unnaturally grave.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know you. Wizard, Muggle, Death Eater, _Alien_. I just can't be sure. You say alien, but can you prove that? I don't wish to sound inconsiderate, but how can you expect me to open my heart to you when I know _nothing_ about who you are?" he asked softly. Shaking his head, he shrugged half-heartedly and turned away, contemplating the fingernails on his left hand as though they were the most interesting things on the planet. "The things you can apparently 'tell' about me are things that I can't even share with my two best friends. What makes you think I'd be willing to share them with you?"

"Harry…"

"No, I'm sorry. I've no guarantee that anything I tell you will be safe. You appear out of nowhere, no explanation, no reason, and after being in your company for less than fifteen minutes I saved your life. Should I regret it? I really don't know. How can you think I'd just drop everything else that is happening in my life just so that I could have a heart to heart with a complete stranger?"

He smiled sadly and stared at the floor. The Doctor dropped to his knees in front of him. Harry seemed to look even more tired up close, and his complexion was _far_ too pale; he appeared to be exhausted and rather ill. Struggling to lift his head, he forced himself to meet the Doctor's gaze unwaveringly, refusing to appear weak, despite his body constantly fighting to tell him that he _was_.

"Doctor, too many people are after my life at the moment, and from where I'm sitting, you could simply be another buyer, prepared to place a higher bid for it. I'm sorry if you think I've offended you, but being me, I can't be taking risks. I've a duty to the Wizarding World, to all of man-kind, and I could never forgive myself if anything jeopardised my chances at completing it."

The Doctor said nothing. He merely nodded slightly and gazed at Harry, a look of deep understanding and sympathy alight in his fathomless brown eyes. Harry smiled weakly and turned away. He stumbled to his feet once more, starting off slowly down the corridor again, but a hand grabbed his arm and he was halted. Rose moved out from behind the Doctor and stood in front of Harry, a look of intense compassion on her face.

"Rose, no..." the Doctor started, but she shook her head in warning, not even bothering to look at him, her eyes boring into Harry's.

"Let me do this, Doctor," she called crisply. The Doctor sighed and fell silent, knowing better than to argue with her.

Feeling the Doctor's eyes leave her as he ran a hand through his hair and turned away, Rose suppressed a tiny smile and instead refocused her attention on Harry, who was fruitlessly attempting to avoid her penetrating gaze.

"What if he could prove himself to you?" she asked softly, squeezing his hand gently. "You have every right to be worried, hesitant, and anxious. I know how strange these circumstances are. Believe me; I was just as apprehensive as you are now when I first met the Doctor. Hell, it wasn't even the one you're looking at! I've had the honour of being a companion to _two_ of him … well, sort of, anyway. It's only been about a week with this new one. I'm still trying to figure him out, actually."

Harry finally turned to look at her, open-mouthed, an eyebrow raised in complete and utter confusion and his expression one of mild amazement.

"What do you mean,_ two of him_?" he asked, startled. He looked quickly at the Doctor who simply shrugged, a tiny smile playing across his lips as he stubbornly studied one of the moving portraits on the wall.

"Well, what I tell you, or he tells you, depends entirely on how willing you are to listen to us," she replied firmly. "And you can't tell me you're not even _a little_ curious. It seems to me that both of you have a lot to talk about, and I think that if he could prove his honesty to you, you'd be willing to listen."

Harry considered her. "Rose, I'm seventeen. And despite the fact that I'm still supposed to be in school, disregarding my inability to be in a stable relationship with someone I love at my age, ignoring the reality that says I should be with my parents, my family, I'm not. I don't have a normal life. Everywhere I go its 'the Boy Who Lived', 'the Saviour', or 'the Chosen One'. Never 'Harry Potter'. And yet even with all of that, I've learnt to cope with my situation. I can just about hold it together now. But if you come along and throw something else on top, I'm not sure I could carry on."

Rose could see, right there, the truth within his astonishingly emerald eyes. He felt such regret at the world for not being able to have a normal life, for not having what everybody else had, but at the same time, he wasn't overwhelmed by jealousy either. He had accepted it, despite how much he hated it. She wouldn't give up, though. No way. They could help him, if only they could get him to accept their assistance.

"Wow, that's like the complete opposite to what I've had to put up with. I wasn't _anybody_, back home. Useless, unhelpful, going nowhere in life. A total _nobody._ It was all I could do to remind myself everyday that I would, _some_day find my purpose in life, constantly telling myself that I had to hold on, that I had to persevere until something better and far more amazing than I could ever possibly have dreamed of came along."

She paused and reached out for Harry's hand, gripping it tightly and smiling brightly as she stared him dead in the eye. "And then I met the Doctor. And he changed my life. He's shown me so much, and I don't mean planets, and aliens and spaceships and things. He's shown me a better way of living, of being. I've discovered so much about myself since I met him, about me as a person.

"He's a good man, and I really think he could help you, Harry. He's helped me," she added gently, softly.

Harry looked up at the Doctor again, watching the slight beacon of hope that was blossoming deep within his bottomless, omniscient eyes. Harry hesitated, sighed deeply and then genuinely smiled. The first true smile he'd felt in months.

"Alright," he finally conceded. "It'll have to wait until morning, though."

The Doctor beamed at him as Rose turned and grabbed his hand again, nodding her gratitude. Harry inclined his head once and turned away, sparing them a brief, grateful smile before walking the rest of the way towards the Hospital Wing.

"Come on, we'd better get you to Madam Pomfrey, or she'll do her nut," he said quickly as he disappeared through the doors without so much as a backward glance.

Rose and the Doctor walked down the hallway hand in hand, but he stopped her just outside the door. Staring straight into her eyes, he gave her hand a gratified squeeze.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, for once not bothering to mince words.

"For what?" she asked, smiling.

"Everything you just said," he replied. "I know how difficult my changing was for you, and there is _no way_ you've accepted it fully yet. _I_wouldn't have done, if it were me."

Rose shrugged, blushing slightly.

"Yeah, there's still some days when I can't quite understand the whole thing myself, but it's getting better. I've still got loads of questions though. You've just been so busy lately, and I haven't been able to talk to you properly since Christmas."

The Doctor smiled sadly, but brightened slightly as he clapped his free hand reassuringly onto her shoulder. He leaned forwards and whispered seductively into her ear, sending shivers running down her spine, "so … with that being the case, I think...when this is all over...I need to have a little talk with _you,_ too."

He grinned cheekily and winked at her before vanishing into the Hospital Wing. Rose shivered slightly and felt a strange tingling feeling inside her chest, filling her with a warmth that did little to ease the confusion she felt. Shaking her head in mild disbelief and not a small amount of restrained excitement, she turned to the open doors and practically skipped through after him.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, guys! As always, Reviews of any form are most welcome! I hope you enjoyed it! Update coming soon!**

**Blessed Be!  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	6. A Night in The Hospital Wing

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**Thanks for all of the reviews, guys! Enjoy! **

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**A Night in The Hospital Wing**

Rose crossed the colossal room in giddy silence, her hands gliding absent-mindedly over the tops of each bed as she passed them. The Doctor was sitting precariously on the end of a bed at the far side of the room, looking more than a little disgruntled with his current predicament. She stopped just in front of him, her heart beating faster than usual for no apparent reason …

She ignored it.

"Honestly, I'm _fine_! I don't need anything! What's that stuff for ?!"

Rose couldn't help but smile at his indignation. Madam Pomfrey bustled over from her office carrying two goblets and two identical, small potion bottles, placing one of each of them onto the small table beside his bed.

"Simply a potion for Dreamless Sleep, Doctor, I assure you it is quite harmless," she replied briskly as she leant the back of her hand against his forehead. The Doctor pulled away indignantly, scowling.

"But I don't sleep! I don't _need_ to!"

And what do you mean by that, '_I don't need to_'?_Everyone _needs sleep. It's natural, a force of nature, a healing process. You can't _not_ sleep, Doctor!"

Flustered, the Doctor bit back a scathing remark in fear of saying something that would make things a whole lot worse for him. Instead, he purposefully avoided looking at Rose and point blank _refused_ to watch as the Matron pottered about beside him. He looked over at Harry quickly, while she pulled various instruments from her pockets and placed them onto the bedside table beside the bottle and goblet. Harry shook his head a fraction of an inch, mouthing '_you're a wizard_' to him as inconspicuously as he could. '_Wizard, not alien! And wizards _do_ sleep!_'

Finally getting it, he mouthed a silent 'Oh' to nobody in particular and blushed crimson, staring determinedly at the wall.

"I…I meant I don't…_want_…to…" he invented wildly, realising after the words had left his mouth that he sounded like a whiny brat. Scowl deepening, he shook his head and practically shouted at her, "I'm _not_ drinking _that_!"

"Erm…it's probably best for you in the long run to just let her get on with it. You're _never_ going to win," Harry muttered as he rubbed his eyes tiredly from the next bed. The Doctor opened his mouth to reply, but Madam Pomfrey seized the opportunity and shoved a strange object – one with a great resemblance to a thermometer only with blue buttons down the length of its spine - into it before he could get the words out. Rose snorted.

"The boy's talking sense for once, now lie back, please, and _rest_. You look like you've been on your feet non-stop for _months_!"

The Doctor was about to say it had been years and that he'd like to see_ her_ have a go at living his life for a bit, but Rose shook her head in warning and he dropped his gaze without saying a word.

"If I said I hated you would you leave me alone?" he mumbled, the words feeling uncomfortable and sounding somewhat muted as they fought their way passed the peculiar object she had forced into his mouth. Harry coughed rather suddenly and turned away, looking out at nothing in particular down the other end of the room. Rose spotted the wide and rather manic grin on his face, though, even if nobody else had caught it.

"Hmm."

Madam Pomfrey stopped and thought for a moment, her finger stroking her chin in mock-concentration.

"No, I doubt it," she replied finally, smiling. "Now _rest_! Goodness, you're worse than Potter!"

Harry suddenly looked back at her and glared.

"_Hey_!"

"Oh, I know. _It's never you're fault_…actually I must say, I'm becoming rather accustomed to having you around, Potter. And I can't say that about most patients… Nah, you're not that bad, are you?" she smiled fondly at him. Harry rolled his eyes, swung his legs up onto the bed and fell back against the pillows.

Having finished examining the Doctor, she reached for one of the bottles and goblets and walked around to Harry's bed, placing them onto his bedside table, in perfect imitation of the pair on the Doctor's own.

"And you already know what to do, so I'll just let you get on with it." She suddenly looked up at him in concern. "When was the last time you had a good night's sleep, Harry?"

"Probably the night before His death," Harry replied quietly, refusing to meet anybody's gaze as he stared at his hands. "I hardly get two hours these days. And I very much doubt that a small bottle of Dreamless Sleep can do much for me anymore."

"What about a larger dosage? Do you think that could help?"

Harry frowned and shook his head slightly.

"No, I…I'm not exactly 'sleeping' when I do fall asleep, so I don't think it would make a difference. There's no point in me taking any to be honest. It won't have any effect."

The Matron nodded in acceptance, but she was clearly unhappy with his answer.

"Well, don't feel obligated to take it, it's entirely up to you. I don't want it to go to waste if possible, as the War's making it much more difficult to get a hold on medical goods at the moment. If it will help, then I want you to try it, but if not, don't worry too much.

"_You_, on the other hand," she added as she straightened up and turned to the Doctor once more, "are a different matter _entirely_."

She watched him for a few moments before turning to Rose. "You make sure he takes it, Miss, or there'll be trouble!" she said firmly.

He glared venom back at her, sticking his tongue out with such sincerity that he looked like a four-year-old who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and didn't like the repercussions. It suited him; his previous incarnation could never have looked so cute and innocent if he'd tried. Rose nodded, fighting the urge to burst out laughing at the look on his face, and, satisfied, Madam Pomfrey returned to her office, closing the door behind her.

The Doctor immediately turned on Rose the second Madam Pomfrey was out of ear-shot.

"_Don't_ say a word!" he whispered dangerously.

Rose couldn't hold back any longer. She burst into fits of infectious giggles and threw herself onto his bed, banging her fists against the sheets and howling with laughter. When she finally managed to catch herself, she sat up, wiped the tears from her eyes, and watched him beadily.

"Have you quite finished?" he asked, trying to sound hurt that she could laugh at his expense, but he failed miserably when he could no longer restrain a smile.

"Yes, I think so," she replied, grinning. "Aww, you're just a big softie, really, aren't you? You act all tough but when you screw up you're just like a little kid. It's so _sweet_! I've never seen such a side to you before. But then… I haven't really seen _much_ of this new you," she added thoughtfully.

The Doctor shifted uncomfortably.

"I_ am_ sorry about that, but I had no other choice. It would have killed you," he said, quietly. "I _couldn't_ let that happen. Least of all because your mum would have killed _me_ afterwards..."

Rose felt a familiar tingling feeling in her chest, and was mentally screaming with joy. But she wouldn't… not yet…

She knew exactly where the conversation was heading, but she wanted to hear him say it. She wouldn't get her hopes up, just in case …

"And why not?" she asked airily, forcing herself to remain calm and keep her voice devoid of all excitement, trying to sound as blasé as possible whilst internally hoping that, at long last, he was going to admit it to the both of them.

By contrast, the Doctor looked utterly terrified. It cost her all the self-control she possessed to keep herself from laughing again.

'_So he can face all those near-death experiences but can't say three simple words…_'

He gulped, and opened his mouth, but no words came out. Rose was smiling broadly now. He swallowed, glanced at Harry's bed and seemed to become instantly concerned.

Rose glanced across to see where he was looking and her smile softened.

Harry was asleep, his chest rising and falling gently, a slight frown gracing his young features, making him look older than he was. He looked so sweet and innocent, that she felt hatred bleed through her veins towards everyone who had taken away his youth. The stopper remained firmly in the tiny bottle, the goblet untouched. He wasn't going to be having a quiet night.

Rose jumped as the Doctor suddenly spoke, dragging her mind back to the present.

"He's had such a hard life already, and he's nowhere near the end of it," he said softly, apparently more to himself than to her.

Rose looked at him and saw the sympathy and pain he was feeling towards a boy he hardly knew burning deep within his eyes.

The Doctor'd had a narrow escape, but she'd make him say it… sooner or later…

But maybe right then and there wasn't the time.

Sighing and shaking her head, she considered the teen thoughtfully, respect ablaze within her chest as her eyes lingered for a moment on the wand upon his bedside table.

"It's funny, but when you … you know … I just trusted him immediately… I mean, he just sat there, totally calm and focused, his wand pointing at your heart… but it didn't really worry me much, I was more scared about what was wrong with you than what he was going to do… and he was _so_ understanding. He asked me what I wanted him to do, told me there was another way if I didn't want him to… but I let him."

She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip, watching their new acquaintance through curious eyes. After a moment, she shrugged and turned to see the Doctor watching her with a small, proud smile on his face. Choosing not to ask, she went on.

"I just… I don't know… I just somehow _knew_ that he could do whatever it was. I didn't even know what he was going to do to begin with, and even when he explained it to me I didn't understand it, and yet I let him do it…"

She fell silent, thoughts barely making sense to herself, let alone to him. Suppressing a shudder, she wrapped an arm unconsciously around herself and shrugged again.

"Why do we trust him so much when we don't know anything about him? Who is he? What has he had to face in the past to make him feel so insecure and vulnerable that he wouldn't willingly talk with you?"

The Doctor studied Harry's sleeping form for a few moments before he looked directly at her, his reply low and carefully considered.

"Well, 'The Boy Who Lived'… he's survived an attack, obviously. There's some sort of evil, someone or something terrorising the Wizarding World, and they've attacked Harry at some point, but failed. There's probably some sort of potion or spell that kills people on contact, but Harry's survived somehow, making him 'The Boy Who Lived'.

"'The Saviour' and 'The Chosen One' suggest he's set to destroy whoever this evil is, and he's obviously grown up with that reputation from a young age, or at least, that's what I can figure from what we've heard so far. But I don't understand! He's how old, _seventeen_? Why is so much expected of him?"

Rose shook her head slightly.

"You'll have to ask for details tomorrow when you talk to him. Say, where's that girl who was with him?" she asked suddenly.

The Doctor frowned and looked around. Now that Rose had mentioned it, he hadn't seen Harry's friend since she'd left them out in the corridor.

Glancing around the ward with a frown on his face, his eyes were soon drawn to the only cubicle in the ward that looked unlike all of its fellows. There was a curtained bed at the far end of the Hospital Wing that he hadn't paid any attention to, up until this point.

It had his undivided attention now, though.

He jumped quickly from his own bed and placed a finger to his lips, warning Rose to keep quiet. Hesitating for only a second, he walked slowly but purposefully towards it, before abruptly stopping beside the dividing fold in the material.

"What was her name, again?" he whispered.

"Harry called her, Gin, I think."

"Ginny then," he muttered to himself. Looping a long finger into the material, he rustled it ever-so-slightly and cleared his throat.

"Ginny? Ginny, is that you?"

Nothing. The Doctor glanced at Rose, who nodded, a concerned frown on her face. Sharing her worry, he paused for a split second, then pulled back the curtains to see Ginny sitting on the bed, her knees pulled up to her chest with her arms hanging over them. Her head was resting on top, scarlet hair covering her face, hiding her from view. She was silent, but her trembling shoulders gave her away. She was crying.

Rose and the Doctor shared another look before he moved closer and sat on the end of the bed.

"Ginny?" he said quietly.

And it was all she needed.

She howled and threw herself at him, arms around his neck as she cried into his shoulder. The Doctor looked up, startled, while Rose watched her in silence. She looked close to tears herself, and simply gave a half-hearted shrug when the Doctor gazed weakly at her, begging for orders on what to do next. Ginny looked utterly distraught.

"He's ill!" she wailed, her voice muffled slightly as she clung to the Doctor even tighter. "He w-won't listen! He w-won't stop! He's just fighting and fighting, but he c-can't do it any more! He can't carry on, I can tell. He's g-going to give up soon, and I don't know what I'd do if he d-died!"

The Doctor raised his hand and made to place it onto her back, but stopped, confused. Then thinking that it was probably the best way to comfort her, he continued, rubbing her back gently, almost fatherly.

"Ssh, it's alright. Let it all out," he whispered.

"Ron and Hermione have n-noticed too. He doesn't eat, he c-cant sleep, he just works and studies. I haven't spoken to him s-since Bill's Wedding. Tonight was the first time I've seen them since t-they left us, since h-he left me. Ron's been w-writing to me every day, and Harry's been the s-same. Always working. I've been a-awful to him, and it isn't even his fault. He doesn't d-deserve it!

Silent tears were falling from Rose's eyes now as she watched, powerlessly. Neither of them could think of anything to say to make her feel any better.

"I just w-wish this War would end, and th-that he'll come back to me, safe. I d-don't know what to do anymore! I miss him. I k-keep having nightmares. I'm scared I'm going to w-wake up one morning and his death will b-be in the Prophet, and all h-hope will just vanish. Darkness takes over everywhere. E-every beautiful thing dies. My l-life dies. Harry dies!"

"Hey, come on now. Don't think like that." The Doctor's voice was soothing, gentle. He lifted her head and cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him. "You need to stay strong for everyone. For you, for your family…for Harry. He told us, you know. He didn't need to say it, we just saw it. He loves you, and he'd give anything to be able to be with you. But he can't, not yet, so he needs you to stay strong for him. He's fighting for you, so you need to fight for him."

Ginny sniffed and wiped forcefully at her eyes. "I'm s-sorry," she muttered. "I just want my life back. V-Voldemort's taken everything from Harry already; his parents, S-Sirius, Dumbledore, the ch-chance for a n-normal life. And it h-hurts, because he's so good and kind and true, and he sh-shouldn't have had to put up with e-everything he has, everything he is still having to c-cope with. It just isn't fair!"

She fell against his chest, sobbing. The Doctor held her, providing her with what little comfort he could offer. In truth, he knew there was nothing he could say that would help, but she seemed to be calming down as she sat with him. Rose turned away, walking slowly back down the ward towards the Doctor's bed. She sat down heavily, wiping at her own eyes, and stared at Harry, feeling anger at the world burn harsh and relentless through her veins.

He seemed tense. His breaths were shorter, sharper, less natural, and he was fidgeting considerably. He tossed violently and Rose debated with herself about how kind it would be to wake him. She knew he received little sleep, but also knew that if she was suffering from nightmares, she'd rather someone woke her. He seemed to calm as she watched, so she left him as he was, hating herself for it.

After a few minutes, the Doctor and Ginny walked out from behind the curtains, Ginny hiccupping quietly as she held onto his hand.

"Now, I think you should get yourself up for a nice, hot bath, and then have a good night's sleep. A bit of chocolate wouldn't hurt, either. And if anyone asks you why you're still awake…tell them it's Doctor's orders," he smiled.

Ginny coughed, a small smile just visible at the corners of her mouth, and looked him in the eye.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said, quietly. "And I'm sorry, Rose."

"Don't worry about it, you love him. It's not your fault, and don't you ever tell yourself it is. You just keep your chin up, yeah?" Rose said, attempting to lift the spirits in the room a little.

The Doctor squeezed Ginny's hand encouragingly and smiled down at her.

"You look after yourself, all right?" he said firmly.

Ginny nodded and turned to leave. But stopping at the door, she glanced back at Harry, and sighed heavily. Rose had the impression she wanted to say something, but after a few moments of tense silence, the young girl simply shook her head and walked away, leaving the door to swing gently shut behind her.

Turning away with a sigh of her own, Rose turned and threw herself face down onto the Doctor's bed once more, suddenly feeling shattered. She glanced upwards as she felt him sit next to her and offered him a tentative smile - one which was returned incredibly reluctantly, before vanishing completely.

He seemed a lot more subdued, his mood darker than it had been minutes prior, and he was gazing into space in silence, probably contemplating everything that had happened to them in such a short space of time…

"Oh, you need your medicine, Doctor," she suddenly remembered. She stood up and reached for it, pulling the stopper from the bottle with a tiny pop. She poured the strange purple liquid into the goblet on the table and examined it with interest. "It looks quite nice actually, mind if I try some?"

"If you want," he muttered distractedly.

Then, he suddenly realised what he'd said and shook his head quickly. "No, at least one of us has to have a clear head. I don't have a clue where we are, and from what we've seen so far this evening, wherever 'here' is isn't safe. I'd rather you didn't, Rose."

Rose nodded, pulled her jacket from her shoulders and hung it over the end of her bed before jumping onto it herself. She sat on her knees and watched as the Doctor stood and picked up the goblet. He stared at it, apprehensively.

"Are you not getting changed, first?" she asked.

"Into what? I didn't think we'd be staying very long, so we left everything in the TARDIS," he replied. She let out a silent 'Oh' and returned to watching him. He paused.

"She wouldn't poison it, would she?" he asked nervously. Rose laughed.

"Doctor, she's a Ward Sister, not a Serial Killer!"

"You never can tell…if I showed you Hitler as a child and pointed him out to you and said, 'he's going to grow up to perform mass genocide', you'd think I was crazy. Innocence hides evil remarkably well when it comes to you humans."

Rose blinked innocently at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Shaking her head, she shrugged, face blank.

"Fascinating stuff, Doctor, I'm sure. Now, are you going to drink that stuff or am I gonna to have to call the Matron back in here to _make_ you?"

"Yes, Miss," he muttered, tones dripping with sarcasm as a scowl slipped effortlessly onto his face. Grinning, she nodded her approval and sat back, watching him intently.

But the smile didn't last long.

The Doctor held his breath and downed the lot in one swallow. Immediately, feeling surprisingly weak, he stumbled backwards and all but fell onto the bed in a sprawled heap. He tried to sit up, but couldn't. He felt drained, and suddenly had a rather strange desire to close his eyes. He couldn't fight it. His breathing softened, his body relaxed. Rose stared, her heart hammering, slightly.

"Oh," he murmured, the sound almost lost to the silence that had encompassed the Ward.

"What is it?" she asked quickly, watching him with unbridled concern.

"Sleeping pills," he murmured, his voice growing steadily fainter. His words emerged horrifically slurred; she could hardly make them out.

"What?"

"That's all it is…sleeping pills…I'm going to kill her…"

And he was gone. Rose stood up and moved across to his bed. She sighed and set to arranging him into a more comfortable position, momentarily checking his breathing as she leant awkwardly over him.

When she had finished, she clambered back onto her own bed and watched him for a few minutes, thinking about nothing in particular, until she found herself falling backwards, into darkness…

* * *

The Doctor awoke slowly, feeling strangely drowsy to say he'd had such help with sleeping. When he was awake enough to feel, he faintly registered a pair of eyes staring intently at him… 

So Rose was awake then. If he had been awake too, he would have been annoyed, but instead he wanted to drift off again, ignore everything until later.

Later was good.

Unfortunately, the watching eyes had a rather different set of plans for him.

"I wondered how long you'd be out. I think you needed that," came Rose's cheery voice, cutting through him painfully as he tried to disentangle his mind from the desire to sleep again.

He groaned and blearily opened his eyes, trying to raise himself enough to see her. He couldn't, gave up the attempt, and fell back onto his pillows, his eyes closed again.

"Now, we're not having none of that, Doctor," she called. She clambered onto him and sat on his legs painfully.

"Oh, get lost, Rose," he slurred, attempting weakly to kick her off. She wouldn't budge.

"Well, someone's a little tetchy this morning. I think I can see why you don't sleep much. You're clearly not a morning person, Doctor."

He reached across for a pillow and threw it at her, but she simply threw it back and jumped on his knees.

"Oh, Rose!" he cried. He sounded genuinely exasperated with her, and he looked shockingly tired. There were deep bags below his eyes, and he seemed paler than usual. She softened as she watched him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Doctor, but Madam Pomfrey wants you up. The Headmistress is coming to see you soon, and I think you've got to attend a meeting later on. You need to get up!"

The Doctor sighed and opened his eyes again, blinded slightly by the lights around him. He forced himself into a sitting position and yawned.

"Wow, you look exhausted," Rose said. "Which is strange because you've been asleep for the past eleven hours. Do you usually sleep for that long?"

He shook his head, rubbing at his eyes vigorously. "Usually a couple…a couple of…hours," he said, stifling another yawn. "All right, I'm up…sort of... so what did you say?"

"McGonagall's coming to meet you. It's pretty big news out there, actually." The Doctor jumped as Harry spoke.

"What is?" he replied quietly, still half-asleep.

"The arrival of two strange 'wizards'."

An eyebrow raised, Harry considered him thoughtfully, a small, sad smile on his face as he drank in the Doctor's distinctly ruffled appearance. Shaking his head a fraction, he let his legs swing gently over the edge of the bed. "Wow, you look worse than I do and that's a feat all in itself. Are you alright?"

The Doctor opened his mouth to reply, then quickly closed it and shrugged. Running a hand over his face, he tried to untangle his mind from the sleep-induced web of tiredness that had enveloped him.

"I don't know," he said at last, concerned for himself. His voice was quiet, the words slightly muffled. "I'm not supposed to sleep. Like I said last night…I don't need to. I mean I was out about a week ago, but that was because of regeneration."

"Come again?" Harry asked, confused.

"Never mind," Rose replied when the Doctor failed to answer, being too preoccupied with remaining in a position that vaguely imitated 'upright'.

"What did she give me, again?" he asked, worriedly. "That potion… it's done something."

"Well potions usually _do_'do something', Doctor, that's why people use them," Harry replied, smiling slightly. "It was just for dreamless sleep. She gives it to people who've faced near-fatal situations. Stops them having nightmares."

"Well whatever it was, it isn't agreeing with me," he muttered, scowling darkly at the Matron's office door before dropping his head back onto his pillow. Rose rolled her eyes and turned to Harry, but she wasn't quick enough to hide the grin on her face.

"So are a lot of people involved in near-fatal situations at this place, or what?" Rose asked as the Doctor worked on pulling himself round.

"No, just me. She stocks up whenever I'm around. It's kind of depressing, actually…"

He trailed off as three familiar faces stuck their heads in from behind the door at the end of the room and smiled at him. "Hey guys!"

"Hi, Harry. We didn't know she was keeping you in, too," called Ron, as he, Hermione and Ginny made their way over to them. "We were sat up hours waiting for you, last night. What are you doing in here?"

"Keeping our guests company," was the response he received.

"Hi, Doctor," said Ginny, happily. The Doctor smiled weakly at her, still not feeling himself.

"You seem brighter, today," he observed.

"Well, you were right. A good soak and a decent night's sleep and I felt right as rain this morning!"

"Why, what was the matter, Gin?" Ron and Harry asked. Avoiding both their gazes, Ginny blushed and spared Rose a nervous glance before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Nothing, I just…felt a little under the weather last night…you know, studying and stuff…" and she fell silent. Harry nodded in understanding and dropped his gaze guiltily, while Ron shifted uncomfortably. Hermione sat herself on the end of Harry's bed and watched them, feeling slightly detached from it all. There was silence until a new voice broke the tension for them.

"Sorry, is this a bad time?"

Rose and the Doctor looked up to see an older witch standing above them. She was tall and thin, wearing a long, emerald cloak and glasses. Her black hair was wrapped into a tight bun at the top of her head, and it had caught Rose's attention immediately. She stared at it in wonder._No-one_ could be so perfect with their hair. There wasn't a strand out of place, and she suddenly felt rather uncared for in her own appearance.

"Morning, Professor," Harry said. "Guys, this is Headmistress McGonagall. Headmistress, this is the Doctor," he gestured at the bed, "and Rose."

McGonagall reached forwards and shook first the Doctor's hand politely, and then Rose's.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm feeling inclined to ask you where you're from, but something tells me that the conversation that would follow would take a few hours. Would you be agreeable to a discussion in my office? Naturally, I would like Mr Potter and Miss Weasley to join us, as they found you. As for Mr Weasley and Miss Granger, I believe that you'll be joining us inevitably if Harry comes along, so there's no point in asking you." She smiled slightly, as they both nodded in agreement. "I thought so."

She turned to the Doctor. "Do you feel up to a few questions?"

"If I can ask a few myself," he relied, grinning. He seemed a little more alert now, and was rapidly returning to his youthfully cheeky self. Rose smiled.

"Naturally. Poppy?" she called.

"Yes Headmistress?" Madam Pomfrey called back as she emerged from her office.

"Are Potter and the Doctor ready to leave?"

"Yes, Headmistress."

"Good. Then I shall meet you all in my office in twenty minutes. Depending on the outcome of our meeting, I may be asking you and your associate to take part in another meeting this afternoon, Doctor. One which will hold great meaning for Potter. He has some rather important news to disclose to the Wizarding World."

The Doctor inclined his head, grinning. With a smile of her own flitting momentarily across her face, she nodded back, before bidding the group farewell and sweeping silently from the room.

As the door clicked, the Doctor raised his eyebrows at Harry who stared resolutely back.

"I'm not saying a word, yet," he said firmly. "You'll have to wait and see, along with the rest of the world. But I will tell you this…it's going to mean a lot more work for me."

The Doctor and Rose glanced quickly at Ginny here, just in time to spot the crest-fallen look in her eyes, before she masked it and smiled happily at Harry.

"So you're going to be busy then?" she asked, trying to sound happy but her voice shook slightly as she said it.

Harry smiled softly and stared wistfully out of the window.

"Gin…you have no idea…"

* * *

**Thanks guys! Sorry it's a bit dull, but the next chapter should make up for it…hopefully… **

**Please review, anyway!**

**Blessed Be,  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	7. Time Meddlers

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

* * *

**Sigh, o****nly the 'Death' concept is mine. Everything else has been created by geniuses with flash cars, big houses and wads of cash (though they don't boast half as much as they could. They're all very modest, I'm sure).**

**The last time I checked, that wasn't me.**

**Thanks for all reviews guys!**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Time Meddlers**

"Right…does this place have tea, or what?"

Rose glanced at the Doctor with a wide-eyed expression on her face.

"I thought you preferred coffee?" she asked, surprised.

The Doctor stared at her, a playful smile sliding onto his handsome features.

"Well, if one considers the fact that a cup of tea helped to speed up the regeneration process, I think one could safely presume an element of fondness for it." Spotting the look on her face, he winked and mock-pouted, crossing his arms in defiance. "Hey, I did say personality change, too!" he added as she stared at him with one eyebrow raised. "You'll probably find that the things I used to dislike become the things I like. Look at your mother, for instance…"

Rose glared and opened her mouth to retort but he cut her off before she could even start.

"Oh, sorry, that was rude. No, I only meant that I couldn't do domestic before, but you saw me! I actually sat down with you, Jackie and Mickey for Christmas Dinner! Now, would I have been up for doing something as domestic as_ that_, if I were still the other me?"

Hesitating, his companion flashed him a contemplative look, and nodded.

"Fair point," Rose said, smiling. "I never really thought about it at the time, but you seemed a lot more comfortable around her. I just thought it was because she helped in saving your life."

"Well so did I, but apparently I can cope with being in her company…for a bit anyway." He paused, but then realising what he had just said, quickly caught her eye and jumped to his own defence. "That doesn't mean I'll be taking you home more often than we used to, mind. I haven't changed_ that_ much!"

"Absolutely not!" Rose replied, laughing at his sudden flare of indignation.

Satisfied, he grinned back and shifted slightly, a hand running absently through his unruly locks.

"Right, where was I? Oh, yes. Tea. Do Brits still drink tea these days? Or has it gone out of fashion? Oh, and that reminds me…what time are we in, again?"

Ron and Hermione shared a look of amazement, but Harry and Ginny simply smiled knowing smiles and shared an expectant look with Rose. She nodded, grinning back and winking.

It was time for Ron and Hermione to learn the truth.

Ginny clambered onto Harry's bed and sat beside him, cross-legged, with his hand clasped gently in hers. With identical smirks on their faces, the two watched in fascination as Hermione began to piece together what was going on.

But Ron, unfortunately, looked as oblivious as always, and was simply staring at the Doctor as though fearful for his sanity.

"1997… have you got a hangover or something?" he asked, curiously. Harry and Ginny stifled snorts but resolutely said nothing else. Rose was shaking her head in mild disbelief. And the Doctor merely grinned in response, shaking his head whilst mentally deciding that he liked this kid's attitude. Deciding not to comment, however, he turned to running over the facts instead, in the hopes of uncovering something else that might help him make sense of what had happened.

"So this is Britain in 1997… I'm guessing September if you lot have just come back to school…September 1997, Modern Day Britain…and it's a school for magic. Well, we're in your time line, Rose...sort of...you'd have been a little younger, but I don't think we're in London anymore. We've jumped back a few years…came from Christmas 2005 and landed in September 1997. Something important must be going on around this time. And I'll bet it has something to do with this war that's going on."

"You mean I've grown up amidst a war and we knew nothing about it?" Rose asked, astonished.

The Doctor nodded, a small frown eating away at the corners of his mouth.

"A magical one, yes. I'm quite surprised that no-one's noticed anything, to be honest. London didn't seem all that bad when we were there at Christmas…well, apart from the giant spaceship parked above the Powell Estate - that _was_ a bit strange, even if I do say so myself. I doubt that's got anything to do with this, though, seeing as how Harriet Jones decided to order its destruction. And the Sycorax most certainly do not – _did _not, even – have the technology for Time Travel. Did nothing happen when you were younger? Nothing unusual on the news? ... _Magical_, even?"

Rose shook her head.

"That's really strange ... has it not been affecting the … 'Muggle' world?"

Ron imitated Rose's head-shake with the addition of a bewildered stare.

"Ok, that must be one Hell of a hangover! Do you even know who you _are_, mate?" he asked in shock. The Doctor studied him with amusement.

"Honestly? I would have to say no…not yet, anyway. I'm…oh, sorry, Rose…_we're_ still trying to work that out. So_ is_ it affecting Muggles?" he pressed, curious.

"Yes. World-wide actually. It's on the news, like, _every_ day – there are always stories of disappearances and deaths, natural disasters, and the fog caused by Dementors that's been sweeping the streets," Harry informed him, mood dropping slightly.

"So time's gone wrong ... again," the Doctor muttered, shaking his head. "But why have they brought _us _here? I don't understand it, Rose. How does it involve _us_?"

"What were you doing before you came here?" Ginny asked suddenly.

The Doctor looked at her and frowned.

"Erm…we - well I say 'we' but I actually mean Rose – were saying our goodbyes …and then I asked you," he turned to Rose, a look of the utmost concentration on his face, "where you wanted to go … and you asked for some concert or other. We returned to London afterwards to drop off the photos and gifts at your Mum's." He shook his head in frustration and ran his hands through his hair.

"We went back into the TARDIS and had just closed the door..."

Rose nodded, racking her brain for details and watching in her mind's eye as the Doctor gently kick the door closed behind them.

"And I asked you about the whole Regeneration thing, but you never really had the chance to explain. You assured me it was over, and that you were alright and stuff, but just left it at that and started fiddling with the controls."

"Oh, yeah...You'd asked me if I'd take you to Barcelona just before we entered the TARDIS, so I was sorting that out," the Doctor confirmed.

"You started setting co-ordinates and the TARDIS sort of…shook…I remember you saying 'that's not supposed to happen'…and you started pulling levers and pressing switches...you said something about the TARDIS being intercepted...and then, I woke up here. I remember everything that happened in the TARDIS with you yesterday, about your injury…but nothing between the shaking and that. It's like that Transmat Beam thing that took us to Satellite Five…and the Daleks…" and she fell silent, gazing at the floor.

They sat in silence for a few seconds until Rose looked up at him again.

"Could it have been another Transmat, Doctor?" she asked. He shook his head and sighed.

"No, I've made adjustments to the TARDIS since then. I didn't want to have to go through all of that again, not when I only have a few regenerations left to play with. I'm running through them pretty quickly, these days. Nothing like that could get into the TARDIS again."

His expression was hard but determined, and Rose knew it was the truth.

As the pair fell gravely silent, each puzzling over what could possibly have happened to drag them into such an unusual time and place, Hermione chose that moment to enter the discussion. She smiled and looked at him with large eyes, giving Harry and Ron a fleeting glimpse of the eleven-year-old Hermione that they had grown to love. She looked so innocent...so honest...

"Sorry, but what's a 'TARDIS'?" she asked, politely.

The Doctor's frown slipped and he grinned at her.

"My ship…time machine…our home," he replied, sighing happily as he thought about it. Rose beamed at him.

'_He said 'our home'! No, wait...don't jump to conclusions! That might just be because I'm staying with him for now...or it may be something else...oh, come on, Rose, _focus_!'_

Blinking beadily in an attempt to compress her wandering thoughts, Rose couldn't suppress a snort of delight as she spotted the awestruck look being beamed her way from a certain red-haired, freckle-faced teen.

"Whoa! No way … _Time_ Machine?" Ron cried. "As in the '_clock_' sort of time ?! That is so cool! Who are you then? Are you working with the Ministry? Working on inter-galactic magical transport, or something? I've heard talk of things like that happening in the Department of Mysteries. Unspeakables reckon they can get to distant galaxies if they work hard enough."

"And where'd you hear that?" Harry asked, smiling. "Luna?" Ron blushed and nodded.

"Thought so…no, Ron...they're not wizards."

"You Muggles, then?" Ron asked in wonder.

"Sort of. She is, I'm not." The Doctor paused, wondering if he could get away with leaving it there. He wasn't sure about divulging into his life with a group of suspicious seventeen year-olds who could be directly involved in dragging them to where they were. But as he spotted their eager faces, he knew he couldn't get away with that. Even Harry and Ginny were watching him with interest now. They knew he was an _alien_, but that was about it. He was cornered.

He sighed heavily and switched from eyeing Ron and Hermione to contemplating Harry and Ginny. "I'm a Time Lord," he said finally, preparing for the onslaught of hushed, amazed questions that were bound to accompany that bombshell.

But in fact, they weren't needed. For the reaction he received was one he couldn't ever have expected, let alone prepare himself for.

The gasp of disbelief caused his head to spin round in surprise, and the Doctor stared in wonder as Hermione's expression darkened considerably. She tensed where she stood, her eyes narrowed and her appearance menacing. She moved closer and reached for Ron's hand, pulling him sharply away from the bed, despite his muttered protests.

"Well, that just isn't possible, Doctor," she stated matter-of-factly, watching him as she would a potential jewel thief, apparently dead certain that he was lying through his teeth. Stunned by her reaction, the Doctor himself remained mute, eyes wide in disbelief.

"The Time Lords were destroyed _years_ ago. The entire race was struck down during the Time War. None survived."

Throat constricted and hearts racing, the Doctor's astonished expression was slowly replaced with a look of complete confusion, his darkened eyes betraying the apparent disregard for her blasé summery of the events that unfolded. Rose considered his face, anxiety eating away at her insides, but the protective shields she knew too well were up and securely barricading him safely out of reach of raw emotion.

"How do you know that?" he asked, voice eerily calm and level. Rose knew better, though, and she bit her lip, watching Hermione intently as she silently prayed that the girl was smart enough to fix her colossal mistake.

At first, Hermione steadily glared back at him, reluctant to back down, _sure_ she was right; but her expression soon changed to one of wonder as she finally caught his eye. _Really _caught his eye.

She wasn't sure she had thought this through, which was most unlike her. His eyes spoke volumes, reflecting a lifetime of agonising pain and suffering, of unbearable loss. But for her, there was only one way to find the truth. She'd give her account. If he was who he said he was, then he would understand. If not, she would challenge it.

"Simple…I _read_. There's a large book in the Library that holds the legends of time. Stories of travellers, aliens, creatures from other worlds, and legendary historic occasions. There was a page on the Time War, not much but there was enough to piece things together."

The Doctor seemed momentarily at a loss for words. Finally, swallowing hard and suppressing a shudder, he blinked his eyes away from hers and contemplated the Grounds outside through the window beside them.

"But how could they write about something that doesn't concern man-kind?" he asked, more to himself than to the rest of them.

Hermione looked down and immediately softened, feeling incredibly guilty, all of a sudden. He knew his stuff, it seemed.

She'd been wrong.

"No-one witnessed it, no-one survived, and it happened well away from here. Alright, the Human Race was affected slightly, but how could there be records of the Time War when there was no-one around who could write about it?"

"Maybe you weren't the only survivor," Rose suggested slowly, watching him, her eyes wide. "Perhaps you're not as alone as you thought…"

The Doctor dismissed that notion with a sharp shake of his head.

"No, there couldn't have been… like I told you, I'd have felt it if anyone else had survived…"

His eyes narrowed as he ran a trembling hand yet again through his disorderly locks.

"No, it's something else. Something worse. Someone is manipulating this entire time-line...and it has something to do with me…"

His face darkened considerably as he said that. His voice became deadly, challenging and powerful. "Someone wants me here, and they've been twisting this time to get me here. Humans know about the Time War, and that isn't possible. Someone's been planting evidence... they want_ me_…"

The Doctor suddenly jumped from his bed and reached for his clothes without so much as a sideward glance, dragging the bed's curtain around to hide him from view. The abruptness of the movement sent Hermione jumping backwards with a small squeak of fright. Rose's elbow slipped off the cabinet beside his bed, but she covered the resulting bang up with a small cough and quickly scrambled to her feet, blushing.

"Rose, grab your coat quickly, we're going to the TARDIS."

Rose did as she was told without question, shooting Hermione a furtive glance and frowning as she shrugged into her jacket. The girl seemed rather subdued, her eyes brimming with guilt. Apparently, she was taking the Library's betrayal to heart, berating herself for doubting the Doctor and internally dismayed that a book had lied to her. Harry and Ron appeared to have noticed, for both simultaneously reached out to her and grasped a shoulder each. She shot them both a grateful look and stared apologetically at the Doctor as he emerged - fully-dressed in pinstriped suit and chucks - from behind the curtain.

"Don't worry about it," he whispered reassuringly, pulling on his tan trench coat and staring at her solely while Rose pottered about grabbing her possessions from the cabinet. "I know it's an impossible thing to come to terms with. Really, you should be right. I should have died with them, but I didn't. And by rights, you shouldn't even know about us. I don't blame you for becoming defensive."

Hermione shook her head and stared resolutely at her shoes.

"It was uncalled for of me to judge you so quickly," she simply replied, perfectly happy to be angry with herself. "Forgive me. I'm not usually so tactless."

The Doctor nodded, a small sigh escaping his lips.

"Ready," Rose called, regaining his attention and dissipating the looming awkward silence before it could manifest. Without a word, the Doctor grabbed her hand and tugged her after him, already sprinting towards the exit.

"We'll be back in a bit!" he yelled over his shoulder, not bothering to wait for a response from the four teens standing, dumbfounded, where he had left them.

Together, the Doctor and Rose ran the length of the Hospital Wing and charged as fast as they could towards the Entrance Hall, followed through the corridors by wide eyes and manic whispers. Completely ignoring the protective wards, they ripped through the large doors as quickly as they could and ran flat out towards the lake, near to which they had talked the previous night. Following the shoreline, they soon spotted the TARDIS, concealed slightly behind a large tree but still pretty noticeable.

It didn't seem to be attracting attention yet, though. That was a good sign.

They skidded to a halt outside it and the Doctor reached for the key, fumbling slightly in his haste. He shoved it roughly into the keyhole and turned.

Rose nearly cried out in shock.

But the Doctor simply stood where he was, face emotionless, his arm falling limp at his side, the key slipping from his slackened grasp only to land on the dew-drenched grass with a soft thud.

"What's happened?" she whispered in disbelief.

The Doctor bit his lip, unable to tear his eyes away from his precious machine.

The once magnificent Time Machine that was now little more than a cramped, useless wooden box.

"Remember when I took you to see your dad?" he asked faintly. She nodded, dumbstruck. "Well this happened then. There was a fault, a glitch in the timeline, and everything just stopped. It must be happening again…"

"You mean the Reapers?" she muttered. The Doctor shook his head.

"Oh no, this isn't them. This isn't some tiny wound in time… this is a great big, gaping hole… someone in this place is messing around with time and space, and they've altered something. And it's gone wrong. I think that's why we were pulled here. There's something huge happening, and because we've got a time machine… we're connected through the time vortex. It's how she moves: the vortex is linked to time itself. And because this is such a large hole, it's sucking in anything and everything it can that has a connection with the vortex, trying to bridge the gap..."

Rose clicked her tongue against the inside of her cheek and let out a low whistle, blinking away her anxiety and turning to consider the Doctor, instead.

"So, now we're stuck in 1997, in the middle of a huge war that we have no connection to nor no nothing about, with an empty blue police box from the sixties, and no way of getting home," she concluded for him.

Sensing something other than despair in her voice, the Doctor turned to face her, and for some reason not understandable to him, she smiled, the very last thing he felt like doing at that moment. He blinked at her, frowning.

"What are you so happy about? This is _deadly _serious!"

Her smile broadened and she patted his arm consolingly for a moment, before reaching down to pluck up the Doctor's abandoned key. After sparing a few seconds to contemplate it, she held it out to him.

"New world... New danger… New Doctor… I think it's time we put this 'new' you to the test," she beamed.

The Doctor considered her for a few moments, then felt a grin break across his face despite the circumstances. He reached for the key and locked the TARDIS once more, before replacing it in his trouser pocket.

He sighed, and glanced once more at his best friend, the icon of his life, the once magnificent specimen that now seemed to be nothing more than an empty shell as it stood alone, a small of blue dot against the vast grounds. His child in all respects, suddenly broken and ill- completely useless and devoid of the life it should have had. Now, here, it was nothing more than a police box. With a shake of his head, he turned to Rose.

And smiled.

"Ready to save the world?" he asked innocently.

"Always," she replied, grinning broadly. He took her hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and together, they ran back towards the castle, heads buzzing with questions that needed immediate answers.

* * *

"What's taking them so long?" Ginny asked impatiently. "We need to go!"

"They'll be here," Harry replied, placing his arm on her shoulder in a reassuring way. She smiled at him, but dropped her gaze almost immediately.

"Gin, what's the matter?"

Hesitating, she shot him a sympathetic glance and absently twirled a loose lock of hair around her index finger.

"You're not comfortable with this, are you? With us?"

Harry sighed and quickly turned away, staring out of the open window into the grounds. The fog had taken over again. Last night's hurried glimpse of the moon was apparently to be the only bit of clear sky he was going to see for a long time. Suppressing a shudder, Harry shrugged nonchalantly, plucked his glasses from the bridge of his nose and ran a hand tiredly over his eyes before replacing them again.

Neither of them noticed the Doctor and Rose stop outside the door.

Rose had been all for opening the door and entering the ward, but the sounds of voices from within caused a sense of trepidation to eat away at her nerves, and she hesitated. Ginny was talking, and by the sound of it, it wasn't a conversation that they could just walk in on. The Doctor turned to her.

"Let's just leave them…" he murmured, reaching an arm out to her, but then he heard Ginny's voice and stopped as curiosity welled inside him. Rose raised her eyebrows and spotted the conflict inside his head. He motioned for her to let go of the handle and stood still, debating with himself. Rose inched ever closer to the door as her curiosity peaked, and was soon standing right next to it. She smiled slightly as the Doctor appeared at her side, listening intently.

"...still think I'd be safer away from you. I know what the battle going on in your mind is about, Harry. I can read it in your face. And I need to apologise. I know that you kept me away for my own safety, and I know that you didn't want to, but felt you had no choice. I respect that… sort of… and I need to tell you how sorry I am for the way I've been treating you. It wasn't your fault, you were just doing what you thought was best. I know that now."

The Doctor smiled.

"That's what you were talking with the Doctor about, isn't it?" Harry asked, quietly. Ginny nodded and returned to staring at her feet.

"I am sorry, Gin. Really I am, but I think we're just going to have to wait, that's all. Wait until the War's over, then we can see where to go from there. We aren't going to be able to have a proper relationship until then. And besides, I'm going away in a few days, anyway, and I don't know when I'll be back, so there's not really any point in starting again now."

"Where are you going?" she asked quietly.

Both Rose and the Doctor tensed then, listening hard. Half of the Doctor was itching to pull away, or to clamp his hands over his ears and hum loudly, but that wasn't really a possible option. But as had always been the case with him, the curiosity got the better of him, and he remained resolutely where he was, feet glued to the floor and ear glued to the door.

"The Underworld," Harry sighed. "We need answers that we think only He can provide. The sooner we get answers, the sooner this thing ends…the sooner we can be together."

There was a pause, during which Harry stared anywhere but at her. Rose glanced at the Doctor and raised her eyebrows in puzzlement. 'Underworld?' she mouthed. The Doctor shrugged and motioned for her to come over to him. Eavesdropping wasn't right, but it seemed to be one of his newest traits. He couldn't help himself. Backing away from the door, he shook his head, ashamed of himself for doing it, turned and made to walk along the corridor again, thinking they could return at a more appropriate time. But he was stopped once again as Ginny's voice floated through the half-open door.

"I'm coming with you," she said calmly, flatly.

The Doctor froze, eyes wide and hearts beating impossibly fast. While he hadn't been completely sure of the details, he was damn certain that wherever Harry had been planning on going was life-risking. Rose, too, looked dumbfounded, her mouth dropping open in surprise as she stared at the door, unable to believe what she was hearing.

And judging by the ten seconds of complete and utter silence that followed Ginny's announcement, neither could Harry Potter.

"_What_? Gin…_ No_!" he stammered, staring at her as though fearful for her sanity.

Though they were well clear of the door, the Doctor could almost imagine Harry's gaze right at that moment; desperate and pleading, boring into Ginny's face in the hopes of making her see sense despite her mind being set, unchanging, made up.

And then he could imagine Ginny's reaction – her determined glare as she took a step towards him, arms crossed over her chest and expression grim.

"_Yes_, Harry. I'm _sick_ of being pushed away! I'm not a child, and you can't protect me forever. Really, us breaking up has made no difference to Voldemort whatsoever! He isn't interested in me, he hasn't been since this thing started. And I've had enough of hiding! I won't run anymore Harry! I want to fight with you, alongside you. I'm coming!"

"Ginny … _are you out of your mind_?" he practically shouted. "Do you have _any_ idea how dangerous my life is right now? I thought last night might have been enough to show you, but you don't seem to have grasped the message yet! I _won't_ let you come, Gin! It's suicide!"

"Well that's too bad, Harry," she shouted back, voice as loud and steady as his own, "because it isn't up to you! I'm making my own decisions, and I've decided that I'm coming with you no matter _what_ you say! _I don't care_ about the risks! _I don't care_ about dangers! I've _seen enough to know_ that my life isn't worth living while I'm stuck here, waiting! Well I'm not waiting anymore, Harry! I've had it with waiting around for you, worrying constantly, praying that you'll stay safe!"

The Doctor slapped a palm against his face as he shook his head in dismay. Rose glanced at him questioningly, but most of her attention was focussed on the arguing couple mere metres away from her. She was listening, but not completely following, having to strain to hear everything.

But the Doctor was. He could hear it all perfectly. And he knew what was bothering Harry the most, knew that the kid was so overworked, right about now, that a breakdown was damn near inevitable. And Ginny was simply adding unneeded fuel to the proverbial fire. Dropping his hands, the Doctor bit his lip, clenched his fists and held his breath, waiting for the onslaught.

Only to be rewarded seconds later as Harry's nerves were finally shattered, the last straw well and truly overstretched.

"_Why won't you listen to me_?" he yelled out, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "Why won't _anyone_ listen? This is _nothing _to do with you! It's between me and Him, and _nothing_ can change that! Do you think I enjoy it? Do you think my life looks easy? _Hey, he's famous, life's a snap for him!_ Well newsflash for you… I hate it! I _hate_ being me! I don't want to be 'Famous Harry Potter' any more! But I'm stuck with it! I've no choice! There's nothing I can do about my own life, that's out of my hands. But I won't stand by and watch you run head-first into the end of your life! I couldn't cope with that!"

"But you've just said it! There's nothing you can do about your own life! That doesn't mean we can't help you cope with it! What do you think friends are for? I _want to help_ but every time I come close to getting into your head you push me away and I've had enough of it! If you won't accept help, then that's your choice. But I'm not waiting anymore. If you can't open your mind to the possibility that I could _actually_ help you, then there's no point in me hanging around!"

Silence fell.

Rose stared at the Doctor's immobile form, mouth open in disbelief, and watched as he visibly trembled, his pale skin seemingly glistening against the dim lighting of the hallway, a small droplet of red glinting at the corner of his mouth where a tooth had punctured his lip. He seemed not to have noticed it, so focussed as he was on trying to pluck up the courage to enter the Ward, to help them.

"Please, Harry," Ginny whispered, at last, breaking the silence. She sounded tearful as she spoke. "Alright, I'm _sorry_... I didn't mean that... it was heartless, stupid. But I_ can't _just _sit back_ and watch you waste away. You're becoming obsessed, this War's taken over your life, and okay it isn't your fault, but that doesn't mean you should just lie down and make it easier for them. If you don't start shifting some of the weight, you're going to be buried by it! You're trying too hard, and it's eating away at you, bit by bit. Please let me help! I _want_ to help, Harry," she pleaded.

It was then – as the silence spiralled horrifically, the atmosphere thick enough to choke him – that the Doctor settled his resolve and hurried quickly and purposefully towards the door. He knocked once, twice, three times, eyes brimming with concern, Rose catching up to him just as his arm dropped to his side. Offering him a tentative smile, she reached out for his hand and held her breath, mutely wondering if the two emotional teenagers inside would even acknowledge their presence.

Apparently, they would.

"Who is it?" Ginny called, hastily wiping at her eyes and trying to keep her voice steady. Trying to mask it all.

Harry didn't bother. He knew better, knew it would be pointless to pretend it hadn't happened. Even more so when he heard who was on the other side of the door.

"It's us, Gin. Can we come in?" the Doctor called through, gently.

Harry and Ginny swapped identical looks of despair, before Harry shrugged his growing disinterest and dropped into a chair beside one of the unoccupied beds, eyes closed and a hand rubbing at his head. He could feel a migraine coming on.

Great. Just great.

Refusing to look at him, Ginny sniffed quietly, and turned to stare out of the window before calling softly back.

"Yes, it's alright."

The Doctor pushed the door open a little more and entered without another word, eyes immediately staking out the distraught couple – though they were trying their hardest to hide just how distraught they were. Rose was still clinging onto his hand as she, too, considered them both with a look of the utmost sympathy.

"I'm guessing you heard that," Harry muttered at last as he idly considered at the expression adorning the Doctor's face.

The Doctor nodded. Stopping just in front of Harry, he stared the boy dead in the eye, concern and worry alight within his own auburn orbs.

"She's right, Harry," he said finally, hoping beyond hope that the kid would listen to him, this time. "You're doing too much. Have you seen yourself lately? You look ill, but you're still pushing yourself beyond your boundaries. Everyone has a limit, and I think you've gone _way _beyond your own. I think you need to open up to your friends a little more."

Harry sighed and gazed at the floor.

Rose felt her heart ache for him. The anger had all but dissipated from his face, and for the first time since she'd met him, she could truly appreciate just how young he really was, how _vulnerable _he was, how _fragile_ his spirit had to have been.

"I know," Harry whispered finally, looking anywhere but at the Doctor. "I know I do, but it's hard. They shouldn't have to put up with my problems. It isn't fair on them. They've already helped me so much, and I couldn't ask any more of them."

"You don't have to. We'll do it," Rose said firmly.

_That _got his attention. Taken aback, he stared at her in mild disbelief.

"Why you? You don't know anything about this," Harry replied, slowly.

Rose and the Doctor shared determined glances, before she crouched down in front of Harry and took both of his hands in hers, their gazes locked, so as to prove her sincerity.

"Because we're involved now. And we want to help, too. You deserve a little assistance, Harry. Besides, we're stuck here until this is sorted, so what better way to pass the time than to help out the natives?" she asked, smiling.

Harry sighed heavily.

"Well I'm not doing anything yet. We need to go see McGonagall now, anyway. We'd better hurry up, too. We're already late."

"Are you just trying to change the subject?" asked the Doctor, a frown lacing his worn and knowing features.

Harry rolled his eyes, apparently trying to appear disinterested, but the Doctor caught the shiftiness in the way his fingers were knotting themselves together. After what seemed like an age, he straightened up and fixed the Doctor with a pointed stare, trying to ignore Ginny who was glaring at him from just over the Doctor's shoulder.

"Look, can I talk with you about it later on? You're not going to leave me alone until I ask, so…"

"Yes, of course, whenever you want," the Doctor replied. Harry nodded and left the room without another word, expression grim and a hand pressed against his head as though he could push the pains straight through and out of the back of his skull.

The Doctor watched him leave in silence, then turned to Ginny, who held up her hands in an expression that said quite plainly, '_that's Harry. Good luck_!'.

Walking towards her, shaking his head, eyes brimming with sadness and sympathy, he gripped her shoulder comfortingly as both turned to stare at the now open – and empty – doorway.

"Don't worry. I'll talk him round, Gin. I Promise," he said sincerely.

"I hope so," she whispered back, shaking her head. "I hope so for _both _our sakes."

Nodding his understanding, he hugged her quickly, then turned and left the Hospital Wing in silence, leaving Rose and Ginny to drift along wordlessly in his wake.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, and thanks for reviewing! Love ****to you all!**

**Blessed Be,  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	8. The Time War

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx

* * *

**

**This is my take on the Time War! I found a lot of the relative info ****in the 'Doctor Who' section on Wikipedia. It's a very helpful site, actually. 'Sigh', Just something else I can't claim as my own…these things are building up…**

**Ahh well. Enjoy, peeps! And thanks for commenting! :)

* * *

**

**Chapter 8**

**The Time War**

"Gin … where are the two others you were with before we left?"

Ginny paused for a second, a sly grin inching its way onto her face as she spared Rose a glance.

"You mean Ron and Hermione?" she asked, innocently enough. But when Rose nodded, her innocent façade evaporated, and her all-knowing, cat-like smile widened even further. "They…ah…went for an early breakfast," she replied, mischievously. Resuming their meander through the empty hallways, noticing Rose's reddening cheeks, she shrugged indifferently and shook her head in mild mock-disgust. "And knowing my brother as well as I do, I'll bet they're on seconds, by now."

"So, they're an item, then?" Rose deduced, smiling.

"Yep, and it's only taken them seven years to get together. Harry was all for locking them in a broom cupboard until they plucked up the courage to ask each other. It was driving him mad!"

Her smile slipped slightly, and feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, she returned her attention to the way ahead, avoiding Rose's curious gaze. Sighing, she shrugged again, only this time, her slumped shoulders refused to stiffen again afterwards. "But then, saying that, _he_ wasn't much better, either," she murmured. "It took us just short of six years, too."

Rose's smile vanished.

"You broke up because of this war, right?" she affirmed, voice sympathetic.

Ginny nodded, glumly. "Or so he says, anyway."

Rose frowned.

"You don't think that was the real reason?"

"Dunno," the girl sighed, shrugging with a feigned disinterest that didn't fool Rose at all. "I suppose it's as good a reason as any, but it just … it doesn't feel right. I know he probably _believes _that us breaking up means I'm safe, but even _my mum_ thinks that's ridiculous. _Nobody _is safe, these days. And You-Know-Who already knows that I know Harry, so I'm no safer than … say, the mad old cat lady he had for a neighbour when he lived with the Dursley's."

There was a low but steady rumble of voices from within the many classrooms they passed as they walked. Rose was faintly amazed by the fact that students were sitting feet from them, no worries to plague their young and eager minds aside from fears about homework and social status. When the bell rang for the end of lesson, each would worry about their own families for a time, but while they were enclosed within their classrooms, surrounded by friends, nothing could bother them. Nothing could harm them. They were immune to the torment and struggle, if only for an hour or so. She sighed, envying their blissful ignorance. And one glance at Ginny told her the young red-head envied it, too.

"How'd he do it?" Rose asked curiously, hoping to fend away the sour mood that was lingering over the young girl's shoulders like a lingering smog. She plastered a doe-eyed expression to her face which seemed to be contagious as she added, "was it romantic?" Her face lit up with excitement. "One of these 'confess undying love and walk off into the sunset' things, or what?"

"Oh, it was so sweet!" Ginny smiled, encroached by the memory. "I'd liked him from the start, but he never seemed to notice. I sent him a valentine's poem in my second year; it was delivered by a dwarf. He must have been so embarrassed afterwards. It literally dragged him to the floor and sat on his legs while it sang. I couldn't look at him for a week afterwards," she laughed. Rose smiled at how happy she seemed. Such a stark contrast to the seconds prior. She seemed younger, fresher, all of a sudden. Rose beamed, secretly pleased with herself. Really, a friendly conversation could work wonders, these days.

"I've been sending out hints since the beginning, but he's been oblivious. Then I started talking to 'Mione about it, and she told me I should just be myself around him, that he'd notice if I started dating, perhaps. Well I started in my fourth year, and by a stroke of luck, I was going out with one of his dorm-mates during my fifth. I think he must have been jealous then, he never showed it, apart from this one confrontation. I was kissing Dean, and Harry and Ron found me. Ron was all for ripping Dean's head from his shoulders, but Harry seemed pretty ok with everything…until I saw his eyes. They were full of anger and jealousy and hurt. So I started trying to attract his attention a little more by being more open around him. Dean turned out to be a bit of a control-freak, in the end. Always trying to do everything for me and help all of the time. I got tired of it.

"Well, anyway, I digress. Harry was in a detention during Gryffindor's final Quidditch match. He must have been gutted, seeing as he was Captain, but it was a pretty big detention, if I'm honest. Malfoy deserved it, of course, but it was a little scary to think of Harry doing something like that. I mean it wasn't intentional, or anything; it just sort of happened… but, he came back after the match and I just sort of ran at him. I didn't plan anything, I was just going to tell him that we'd won, but then he kissed me…in front of _everyone_!"

"No. Way!"

"Oh yes! The entire House was just stood there, watching. Ron looked…well, I don't know what was running through his head then. I mean his sister and his best mate, that's a pretty big collision. 'Mione looked so happy; she was grinning wider than a Cheshire cat when I talked to her afterwards. Dean seemed pretty upset, but we'd finished by then, so it wasn't really any of his business."

"What was it like?" Rose asked eagerly.

"It was amazing," Ginny sighed, dreamily. "He's a good kisser, actually. Better, even. Brilliant. Probably the best kiss I've ever had…" and she blinked as she saw Rose's face. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just sweet, that's all. Honestly!" she added when Ginny stared suspiciously at her. "So were you together for long, then?"

Ginny's smile faltered as she spoke.

"No, Dumbledore died a few weeks later, and Harry broke it off at his funeral. He had his reasons. You Know Who's been after him since his birth, knocking down the people he loves one-by-one. It's awful, and I haven't helped matters. I refused to accept him when we met again. It just hurt that after so long, we'd managed to get together, and then he ended it to finish his 'quest'," she said, bitterly. "At one point I even went as far as thinking he cared more for his fame than for his love-life, but that was just me in denial, trying to blame my circumstances on anyone else but me."

Rose nodded in understanding and they fell silent, thinking. She watched the Doctor walk into step beside Harry, and wondered vaguely what they were talking about. If she was honest, she was glad that the Doctor had an inquisitive streak within him, now. It made her feel a little better about her own nosiness, knowing she wasn't the only one. This new incarnation still had many surprises up his sleeve, it appeared.

Ron and Hermione emerged unexpectedly from a classroom ahead and walked up to them, smiling widely. Hermione's flyaway hair was more pronounced than usual, and both were breathless and looked rather flushed.

"Have fun?" Ginny asked innocently. Rose smirked.

"Don't know what you're talking 'bout, Gin," Ron replied, airily.

"Right," she replied sarcastically. "Are you two coming to this meeting?"

"Yes, is it now?" Ron asked. Ginny nodded. "So what's it for?"

Ginny looked at Rose and gave her a nod that said 'that question's yours'. Rose looked up at Ron and smiled.

"I think it's just a 'hello' kind of meeting, really. The Doctor and the Head need to talk about what's going on, I suppose. I mean, we don't know why we're here, and you don't know why we're here, so we need to work things out together. Catch my drift?"

Ron nodded as they turned into another corridor. Harry and the Doctor had stopped next to a rather bizarre-looking statue. It was an extremely ugly looking thing, completely inhuman.

"What's that supposed to be?" Rose called. They turned at her shout, watching the three females and Ron approach the end of the corridor.

"Well, if you're referring to its physical appearance, then it's a gargoyle. If you're more interested in what it_ is_, then it's an entrance to the Head's office," Harry replied, smiling at her lack of understanding. "Tabby," he said simply, facing the statue once more, apparently giving a secret password, if what happened next was anything to go by.

Rose and the Doctor stared in astonishment as the stone gargoyle sprung instantly to life and hopped aside, allowing them to continue up a large and winding, moving staircase. They stepped on, one after the other, and watched in shock as they spiralled ever higher, too stunned to move a muscle except to crane their necks to follow where they were heading. The stairs stopped abruptly a few moments later, facing a large wooden door complete with rich brass knocker which wouldn't have looked out of place in a Victorian Mansion.

Rose gaped, awestruck, tongue testing what was to be spoken next as if unsure of how stupid it would make her sound. But then deciding she couldn't think of any other question she could ask at that particular moment, she thought to Hell with it and voiced it regardless of how the others would respond.

"So… the Headmistress lives inside a wall?"

Harry and Ron both snorted with laughter and Hermione turned to her, smiling, fondness apparently growing for the poor, mixed up lady standing beside her.

"It's not quite as simple as that, but I suppose you _could_ say it's inside a wall, yes. A hidden room, Rose."

"Oh," Rose said, and she fell silent. The Doctor looked at her and smiled cheekily. "And I thought you disapproved of people laughing at someone else's expense!" she asked in mock-annoyance.

"Who's laughing?" he replied, shrugging and smiling broadly. "It was a pretty intelligent question, to say it came from you. I'm very proud!"

"Ha ha, very funny! You're not too old for a slap, you know," she retorted, but the smirk on her face diminished the threat, a little.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her as she stared determinedly back. He grinned.

"Why? How old are you?" Hermione blurted suddenly, slightly breathlessly. Ron glared at her, and she at least had the decency to blush accordingly. Harry snorted but cleverly covered it up with a cough a millisecond later.

"Oh, you'd be surprised," Rose said, never shifting her gaze from the Doctors' face. "He's

looking pretty good for his age, actually. That handsome facade is hiding _a lot_ of years' worth of wisdom."

Hermione and Ginny both blushed and laughed, as the Doctor stared at her in shock. A devious look fell over her graceful features. "Oops, did I say that out loud?" she grinned at him impishly. "Oh, I said Handsome, didn't I? So Sorry, Doctor. I meant to say young, there."

"Sure you did, Rose," Harry added, quietly. Ginny elbowed him in the ribs and he fell silent, smiling.

The Doctor stared at her for a moment, then shook his head quickly. Harry moved forwards and made to knock on the door, a wide smile giving his worn-looking features a more youthful air. For the first time since they had met him, he looked seventeen.

For a second.

Then the sharp rap on the door straightened everyone's faces, all smiles and graces evaporating from existence as the seriousness of the situation settled around their shoulders, once again.

"Come in!" came the crisp response from somewhere inside.

Harry glanced back quickly at them all, and opened the door.

"Ah, back to the old routine, then, Potter? I was beginning to wonder if you were coming at all." She was smiling, though, and her voice was welcoming, rather than accusatory.

"Sorry, Headmistress, but the Doctor had something he needed to do first," Harry replied.

McGonagall stood and moved out from behind her desk to greet them. She smiled warmly as Ron entered last and closed the door.

"Right. Drinks, I think. Would it be too early to offer you something with a little kick?"

"I've been waiting a long time for a cup of tea, actually," the Doctor said, grinning. Harry nodded and the door flew wide, emitting two small house elves carrying identical trays of tea and biscuits in their arms. Hermione sniffed slightly but held her tongue, much to Harry's surprise. He shared a knowing look with Ron, unnoticed by the S.P.E.W founder, one clearly saying, '_I can see the cogs whirring._' Ron nodded, grinning despite himself, before returning his full attention to his former Transfiguration teacher.

"Help yourselves," McGonagall announced, arms wide. She then walked over to her cabinet, withdrew several small bottles, and placed them onto her desk. "And these are for those of you who are feeling a little more… adventurous." Her eyes fell on Ron and Hermione, and they both smiled back, a strange mad glint within their eyes.

Harry withdrew his wand once more and six chairs appeared in front of them. Each took a seat and composed themselves for what was set to be a rather long-winded and interesting discussion.

McGonagall watched them all from behind her desk, helping herself to a glass of Sherry as she arranged herself into a more comfortable position. Her eyes fell immediately onto the Doctor, and questions burst simultaneously, fighting over the chance to fly from her lips first. She drained her glass, licked her lips, and set it onto her desk once more.

"So, Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts. Pleasure to meet you, and where do we start?" she asked the room in general.

"Um… what's Quidditch?"

The room's stunned occupants turned to Rose in surprise, and she blushed.

"Who said anything about Quidditch?" McGonagall asked, wide-eyed.

"Oh, Ginny mentioned it on the way down here," Rose replied, hurriedly.

Ron opened his mouth to answer, face shining with excitement, but Harry stepped on his foot before he could share with her what would no doubt have turned out to be the game's long and not-so-interesting history.

"I doubt we've got time to listen to your in depth commentary, Ron," he said, smiling. Ron scowled but said nothing. "In short, it's a wizard sport. Seven players, four balls, six goal hoops, and it's played on broomsticks. Sort of a cross between football and basketball, only played up in the sky just to make it that li'l bit more interesting."

"Oh," was all she could come up with in response to that, and she fell silent. Smiles flashed her way, and she had a sudden urge to turn to the Doctor and share with his rather manic grin. How she loved that grin…

"Ok, so that's Quidditch covered. Now would you mind me asking why you are here?"

'_Nice, to the point, I like that,_' the Doctor thought to himself before answering the Headmistress directly.

"We don't know," he replied, slowly. "We were just…drawn in, I suppose. Something hooked onto our time-ship and we ended up here. Is there anyone meddling around with time? Building things related to the subject?"

"As far as I can tell, no. The Order is doing no such thing, but I can't honestly vouch for either the Ministry or the Dark Side. The Ministry has been hiding a lot of secrets from us, despite the fact that we're supposed to be working together to bring down You Know Who."

"Voldemort?" the Doctor asked quickly. She shuddered slightly, and nodded.

"Yes. From what we have learned, the Dark Side isn't working on any such projects either, but we can't be sure of everything we discover these days. He, unfortunately, has a rather unearthly gift, and people will keep their silence, no matter how big the secret is."

"Well someone's working on an undercover project, and time and space have been altered, drastically. Whatever they're doing has gone horribly wrong. I've a theory… we were pulled in because we have a time ship, and the wound must be around this castle. It doesn't mean it was caused here," he said quickly as he saw her face. "Only that whoever made it arranged for it to_ be_ here. This wound in time has registered the problem, and is trying to repair itself by grabbing everything it can related to time-travel in order to close the wound. And luckily, it managed to find my ship, probably the best ever created, if I do say so myself. Well, the TARDIS is one Hell of a power source."

"So you're time travellers?"

The Doctor nodded.

"Yes, but not your everyday time travellers. I'm not human. Rose is. She's from London around this time, actually. It must be a different time-line, though, because her world wasn't affected."

"So you're… alien?" McGonagall asked. The Doctor nodded again, and sighed.

"A Time Lord… version ten of myself… I've regenerated nine times, now."

"I see. And do your people – these … _Time Lords_ - know anything about this?"

McGonagall seemed to realise immediately that she had stumbled upon a sore subject. The colour drained from the Doctor's cheeks as he stared her dead in the eye, those swirling orbs ripe with raw emotion.

"No, I'm presuming they won't know a thing about any of it ... considering I'm the last of the Time Lords."

Rose reached across and squeezed his hand encouragingly. She had noticed that he seemed a little more open, and more prepared to discuss his past, than his previous incarnation had been. He didn't snap at people for mentioning his upbringing, anyway. She was grateful for this, and it gave her hope that she could help to break through a few of those annoying barriers that he had built between himself and the rest of existence. Talking was always the best way to do that.

"And Time Lords were?"

The Doctor sighed heavily and drained his own cup. Rose looked up at McGonagall.

"Could he not just… skip that question?" she asked quietly. McGonagall studied him briefly before nodding.

"Of course, you said 'last' so I'm presuming it's not really a topic you feel like discussing with a room full of strangers. Quite understandable, of course."

The Doctor replaced his cup onto the small table that had recently appeared in front of the group and looked at her.

"No, it's ok. It's probably about time I told someone, anyway. I can't tell it all, mind."

"Doctor -"

"I thought you of all people would have been jumping at the idea of me reliving my history. You were all too keen to here about it before, so what's changed?" he asked Rose, frowning slightly.

"I've seen what you've had to put up with," Rose replied, gently. "If it was my business, you would have told me about it."

"Yeah, I suppose. Still, it's been long enough now." He paused and stared around at them.

"Time Lords were a race of… well… humanoids, I suppose… who were able to travel in and manipulate time through use of technology, to a degree more advanced than any other civilisation. We were probably the oldest and most technologically advanced of all races. They had one major policy of non-interference with the universe… a policy I was always breaking, personally.

"Not including myself because I was a little more hands-on than they were, they liked to consider themselves 'perpetual observers of all existence'. Funny, I never considered myself to be anything like that, but I'm the one who's done it…I must have seen everything during my time." He smiled slightly at the irony, but his expression changed to one of pain as he paused.

"What happened?" Harry asked quietly. His expression was grave, and told of a deep understanding, and empathy towards the Doctor. He knew exactly what it felt like to lose those he held close.

"There was a Time War, probably the most infamous battle ever fought, one huge encounter between the Time Lords and the Daleks. We were losing. _Badly_. A few hundred of us against ten million ships. And they're virtually unstoppable. Well, we tried everything we could, everything my people knew from previous battles, previous wars. But there were too many of them.

"I still don't understand how they found us, but they invaded Gallifrey, my home planet. By the time my people had realised what was happening, they were too close to be stopped. The few Time Lords who had access to a time machine were set to be evacuated immediately, but things went wrong. Everything just stopped. The Transduction Barrier that was designed to keep all hostile attackers from approaching the planet, sort of like a giant force-field, that was the only thing that continued to work. No transport would work, no weapons, nothing. The Eye of Harmony, the thing that powered everything… it just… died…"

The Doctor sighed and reached for a bottle containing a blood red liquid. Ignoring the glass in front of him, he downed half of the bottle in one swallow. He shuddered, and stood, moving across to the window, taking the bottle with him. Six pairs of eyes followed, listening intently.

"Well they attacked, midnight. Ship after ship, Dalek after Dalek. We fought back with everything we possessed, but they just couldn't be stopped. Barely two hours had passed before they hit the planet's atmosphere, but they couldn't penetrate, thanks to the Barrier. The few of us who had managed to keep our heads, gathered in a small shelter below Headquarters, and simply sat there, waiting.

"And then it happened." There were tears welling in his eyes now, and his voice shook, but he kept talking. "There was this scream, a girl. She stumbled in alone, distraught, broken… dying. She couldn't have been older than seven. I don't know why she did it, but she threw herself at me. I didn't really know her. I'd seen her before, and we'd talked a little about her mother and her brothers, you know, friendly talks, but there wasn't really any link between us. And yet she ran at me like I was her father, clinging to me, fading.

"She couldn't even speak, she was so scared. But she choked on one word. 'Time'. I didn't know what she meant to begin with. Then something clicked, and I ran at the survivors who were trying to gather the few remaining on the outside. A few of the Dalek weapons had managed to breach the Barrier, but they couldn't all break through. She was still clinging to me… she just refused to let go… I could feel her hearts, both of them, hammering against my chest as I held her… she was terrified."

"Doctor -"

"I caught their attention eventually. And a part of me still wishes I hadn't seen them, still wishes they hadn't heard me. The look of despair, of a lack of hope or any sort of conviction, the look of defeat on every face. There couldn't have been a hundred of us down there, and they all had that same look…"

"Doctor -" Rose tried again, but he cut her off once more.

"I sort of forgot what it was that I was supposed to be asking when I saw them, but it came back almost at once. I stood there… watching them… unable to get the words out… and then I did… I said it."

Tears were falling now as he stared resolutely out of the window, his watery eyes lingering on the small blue speck on the edge of the large lake. No-one seemed to be breathing. Ginny was crying silently, and Hermione was staring at his back in shock, her hand over her mouth. Harry, Ron and McGonagall were listening raptly, too stunned to move.

Rose was in tears, love and sympathy for him burning deep within her, her heart breaking as she watched him crumble before their eyes. She had wanted to help him break through those barriers, not destroy them all at once. That was suicide.

"They all agreed that there was no other option. There had been one other occasion when Gallifrey had been attacked, and that was by a race called the Sontarans. I was in my fourth incarnation at the time, and the Barrier had been sabotaged from within… I'd had no choice then, either…

"I just stood there, waiting for them to decide who would do it, still holding her. They turned and suggested I should be the one to do it, mainly due to the fact that I'd managed to disarm the Barrier once before. So I agreed. It didn't take long, an hour or so, maybe.

"The TARDIS had an emergency power store, one of my most recent mechanical changes, so I used the key to call it into the Shelter. I drained a part of the power and set up a load of wards around the Shelter, hoping to give my people a chance of survival, but there wasn't enough power to create an effective ward.

"A group of us set about creating time loops and paradoxes and pre-emptive strikes as a way of destroying the Daleks once and for all. The girl had been right… we would use Time to bring about the end…"

A soft sob echoed around the room as he paused, remembering.

"I travelled out afterwards," he said. His voice was a little stronger, now, but he couldn't hide the tears. "Mine was the only working time machine because of the emergency power supply I'd created, and we met the Daleks half way. I still held her. She was sobbing into my shoulder by this time, but still refused to let go of me. She was helpful though. Followed my instructions perfectly when I managed to disentangle myself from her and set her down. Her mother had shown her how to pilot a TARDIS before, so she knew what she was doing.

"Ten million ships chased a tiny blue police box towards this beautiful, fiery planet. They all crashed. Every single one. Apparently, the Emperor's ship wasn't completely destroyed, but he's gone now, too… thanks to Rose. The time loops and paradoxes brought about their destruction in the end. They would have survived impact unless we'd been prepared. But they could never have survived the things we made them relive. I can't tell you about those, partly because I don't really know myself. My people arranged most of that while I was disarming the Barrier. We took the TARDIS back to the Shelter as quickly as we could, hoping to save at least a few of my people before impact. But we were too late… everything burnt."

The Doctor paused for a moment, remembering.

"The girl collapsed. She'd been staring at her home through the TARDIS Screen… and she just fell. We were caught in the blast about a minute later. I never got the chance to thank her. She couldn't regenerate, she was too young… a part of me was hoping that perhaps one of my people had managed to survive through regeneration, but the explosion had destroyed their entire lives. No-one could have survived such an inferno.

"I regenerated, almost immediately for some reason, still in the TARDIS. She was damaged, but not irreparable. It took about two days to repair her afterwards. By the time I was alright again, my planet was gone. It was nothing more than smouldering rock. The girl… she… well, she just disappeared. I don't know how or where, just presumed she'd 'moved on'. And that's exactly what I did. Never stopping… always moving… straight to Earth, tracking the Nestene Consciousness…"

He looked up and stared at Rose, eyes sparkling with tears.

"And then I met Rose… the light of my life, who's faced so much with me, been so much. And it's been the same since… well, until I died about a week ago… she saved the entire universe just for me, not knowing what she was doing… I doubt she can even remember what it was that she did, what _I_ did… I can't thank you enough, though, Rose. I couldn't even begin to explain how much you've done for me."

Rose flashed him a watery smile, tears cascading down her cheeks. She stood and walked over to him, pulling him into a huge hug.

"I am so, so sorry, Doctor. I had no idea," she spoke, quietly, fighting the desire to sob uncontrollably into his chest.

"Well of course you didn't. I didn't tell you, how could you have known? I should have, really. I'm willing to bet that none of you understood half of that, but it's helped me just to talk about it. At least I'm not the only one who knows, now."

"See?" she half sobbed, half laughed. "Talking _does_ help. Promise me you won't ever keep something so awful to yourself _ever_ again! God knows how you've survived with that in your head. It's been years!"

The pair of them looked up and smiled weakly. Five faces, tear-streaked and shocked, stared back resolutely.

"Well, as you now know, I've seen my fair share of wars," the Doctor said, quietly. "And not once have I walked away from one, no matter how impossible a happy ending seemed. I won't walk away from this one."

McGonagall nodded numbly at him, staring in shock and sorrow. Hermione was crying silently into Ron's shoulder, and gentle tears leaked from Ginny's eyes. Harry hadn't been able to. He understood too well to be emotionally affected. He'd been through the same thing, and relived it so many times that he couldn't cry anymore. He'd seen too much.

"Well, Doctor," he said finally. "That's one Hell of an emotional rollercoaster. You've earned my trust just through the fact that you could relive it. I'm sorry about your loss," he added, softly.

"Quite," McGonagall sniffed. "Erm… right, so… we know… we know who you are, now, so… is there… is there anything else we need to discuss?"

The Doctor shook his head and glanced at Ron and Hermione. They stared back, respect blazing within their weeping eyes.

"We're going to find out what's going on here. Somehow our being brought here is linked with this War, and we're going to find out how. You have our assistance. "

"Right… well… I think we'll leave things there, for now," she said, trying to inject a little happiness into her voice, but failing. "Erm… we can always resume this if anything… anything else happens. There's an Order meeting this evening, seven o'clock. I would be honoured if you'd join us. Both of you," she added, glancing at Rose who nodded. "It would be a privilege to work along side you. And we thank you immensely for your assistance with… with this War."

Everyone stood to leave, the atmosphere one of sadness and an unsettled gloom. The bell to signal the end of classes echoed through the castle.

The Doctor held Rose's hand and they left together in silence, following their four companions.

Ginny turned to him outside in the corridor and grabbed his other hand. He stopped and stared down at her. Harry walked back and placed a hand on her shoulder as Ron and Hermione turned too, watching silently.

"Look, if there's anything we could do…" Ron and Hermione walked up then and stood behind Ginny and Harry, nodding in agreement, "…if you ever needed someone to talk to, or something, about _anything_, we're here."

"Thanks, Gin, that means a lot," the Doctor replied, smiling softly. "And Harry?" he called as the four teens turned and began to walk once more down the corridor. Harry stopped and glanced back. "I've had my talk, so I think it's probably about time for yours."

Harry considered him, briefly, and nodded.

"Yes, I guess it's only fair," he said. "I suppose you should eat first, though."

"Only if you come with us," the Doctor said as Rose squeezed his hand in encouragement. She smiled at him, glad he'd understood what she had been asking.

"But -"

"No 'buts'. You're coming," he ordered firmly. Harry nodded in defeat and led the way towards the Great Hall.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had been too busy with thoughts on everything they had heard that morning, that they had been unmistakably careless about their timing. They unknowingly walked through the hallways, heads buzzing, completely unaware of the stares they were receiving.

But Hogwarts and its many students were not so distracted. Thousands of eyes followed them through the corridors, whispers flickering around them like twittering birds.

The Trio had been seen.

* * *

**Cheers again! Much love to y'all readers! Reviews are yummy …**

**Blessed Be,**

**xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	9. The Calm Before The Storm

**LittleGinny15:** Oh, sorry about that, honey! Don't worry, I cried myself while I wrote it, too. Oh, I couldn't possibly tell you about the little girl… that would be telling ;) You'll just have to wait and see… Thank you for reviewing!

**Lesslyn:** Yep, and by the end chapter ten, things will be making sense for The Doctor and Rose, too. I wanted it to be in here, but the chapter was too long, so I've divided it. Harry's explanation comes next chapter, and this one just builds up to it (A bit more light-hearted after last chapter). Thanks!

* * *

**The Calm Before The Storm**

"Did you see them?"

"I thought he'd _died_!"

"Should they still be here?"

"Do you think he's found anything yet?"

"Maybe it's over…"

"Nah, doubt it. He's probably cracked, given up. I say we're screwed. Might as well go home now, for all the protection we get around here."

"He looks too preoccupied to have cracked. He ain't crazy… yet. Say, I wouldn't mind being his companion, you know. In fact… I'd give _anything _to have his arms around my neck…"

"That Weasley's been _awful_ to him! No wonder he looks so worried. She probably gave him a right laying into the minute he got back."

"Some people just don't know how lucky they've got it."

"Hmm. She doesn't deserve him."

Ginny stopped and bristled immediately. She turned to a group of sixth years who were gossiping to each other behind their hands, trying to hide their conversation.

Unfortunately, Hogwarts Castle made it a little impossible to keep secrets of any kind hidden. The group suddenly noticed Ginny standing in front of them, her eyes narrowed. They straightened up and glared at her.

"Is there a problem?" a small, blonde girl asked, rather rudely. Harry stopped and turned. As he spotted the group of girls, half of which were still ogling directly at him, his heart skipped a beat.

_Shit! They've seen me…oh, not good!_

He paused and thought. Well, they'd had it, now. How stupid were they? Even Hermione had forgotten all about the fact that Hogwarts was an occupied building. Ever since The Doctor, things had been going crazy. Or was it before that?

Harry thought he could answer that one easily enough himself. Since birth, was probably his best bet.

He walked towards Ginny, fully aware of the many hundreds of eyes that were locked onto his every step. Ginny was standing directly in front of a large group of girls, mostly comprised of sixth years. He eyed them quickly, hoping to recognise someone, but he didn't know any of them. It suddenly dawned on him how little he knew about the people he had spent half of his life with. He stopped just behind her, still cursing himself for not asking more questions during his years there.

"Ginny!" he called quietly, causing gasps to echo around him annoyingly. Ron and Hermione stopped instantly, staring back over their shoulders at Harry. They back-tracked and stood aside, out of the firing line, watching apprehensively. Silence fell, and a small crowd began to gather in interest. The Doctor and Rose stopped too, and moved to stand beside Harry.

Rose was infuriated to see the stares The Doctor was receiving from a lot of the girls. He blushed as the examination of his entire existence reached an uncomfortable pitch, and tried to make himself look inconspicuous. It didn't work. Rose glared at them.

_Eyes off! He's taken! Well… sort of, anyway… Put your tongues away, for God's sake!_

"Do you have any idea how much we've been through?" Ginny asked, quietly, dangerously, pulling Rose from her scrutiny of the competition. "You, in your cosy little world, _swooning_ over anything with two legs, wishing for a tiny bit of them to help push yourselves in the right direction!"

"Well,_ you_ haven't exactly done much for him, have you?" the blonde replied, scathingly. "You've been too caught up in your own childishness and jealousy to notice the bigger picture!"

"Oh, and what would the bigger picture be, exactly?"

"That _every_ girl would give everything they'd ever_ owned_ to have Harry! And the one girl who does can't get over her own selfish issues to count her lucky stars! You've been too busy grieving over a break-up that never even was a break-up in the first place! He only _postponed_ it at that funeral. It wasn't exactly a death sentence, and yet you've treated it like one ever since!"

"Hey, now, that's out of order," Harry said, sharply, stepping forwards. "How the Hell did you know about that? It's nothing to do with you!"

"Oh, everyone knows, Harry," she replied, breathily. "It's practically history! But then, anything to do with you goes down in record, anyway…" she added dreamily. She was quickly shaken from her imaginings when a small hand met her cheek forcefully. She stumbled backwards and raised her hands in defence, catching Ginny's arm before she could swing again.

"Don't you _ever_ say anything like that again! You're all the same! You wouldn't look twice if he wasn't famous! I might have screwed up in the past, but at least I'm not a stuck up tart whose entire love-life involves shagging anything that'll stand still for long enough!"

A collective gasp rocked the frameworks and every head turned to the blonde, who straightened up, her face redder than Ginny's hair.

"_How dare you_!" she whispered, dangerously. "What the Hell do _you_ know about it?"

"Look, Evelyn," Ginny practically shouted, throwing her hands in the air in exasperation, "you might enjoy the attention, you might like waking up every morning with a different bloke in your bed, but to have the nerve to hit on someone with enough on their plate already without adding sex to the list is just…immoral! If people could judge you on how you show yourself to others, they'd think you cared more about sex than your own life! That's just sick! Have you not noticed the war underneath your feet? Is Princess Evelyn too busy _interacting_ to stop and notice how much people around her are suffering? You need to seriously stop and think about what you are yourself, before you go biting chunks out of other people!"

There was a sudden outburst of applause, but Ginny ignored it. She turned on her heel and stormed off, ignoring everyone. Evelyn glared after her, her face burning, before turning back to the group of girls and muttering darkly to them. Harry glanced at her quickly and ran after Ginny, catching her on the way to the Room of Requirement. They disappeared together, eyes following them all the way.

"Maybe we could eat in our Room, Ron," Hermione muttered, quickly. "There won't be as much attention towards those two if we do. I didn't fancy eating with Parvati and Lavender, anyway."

"Good idea," Ron agreed. "Are you two coming, or what?" he called to The Doctor. Rose glanced at him, sighed, and nodded. They didn't want to have to sit in the limelight all Lunch, either. Together, the four of them set of at a slower pace, following Harry's path towards the Room of Requirement.

* * *

"Gin?" Harry called softly. 

There was a muffled sob from a classroom opposite the Room of Requirement, and the door was ajar. Harry walked over and pushed the door open, his eyes falling onto the love of his life, who was sitting on a disused desk at the far end of the classroom.

Ginny glanced up at him and wiped at her eyes angrily with the sleeve of her robes. Harry jumped onto the desk, sat down next to her and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to lose it like that, and now I've drawn attention to you, again. That's probably the last thing you wanted."

"Nah, I think we managed that one ourselves, thanks. I just forgot we weren't the only people in the Castle. What with everything that's been going on, around here. What upset you?"

"Oh, nothing," Ginny sighed, heavily. Harry raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing. "Well," she said, when she spotted his questioning look, "they were all talking about how you deserved better than me. It just upset me, I guess. I thought we were friends. We've worked together in Charms a lot."

"Who? You and Evelyn?"

Ginny nodded. "Guess it shows you, doesn't it? You never know who your real friends are until it's too late."

"How'd you figure that out?" Harry asked confused. Ginny shook her head and sighed again.

"Sorry, I dunno, these days. I'm always babbling on about something. Helps to clear my head. I've got all of these thoughts and nowhere to put them, so when they do come out, they're so scrambled that they don't make any sense."

"You're telling me," Harry muttered. He paused, and glanced towards her. "Have you ever thought about taking up Art or Music? Why don't you try playing an instrument, or something? That's always a good way to express yourself. Or paint. I'm almost certain you'd have one wild creative streak if you put you're mind to it."

Ginny stared at the wall opposite them, thinking. She turned to him. "Wouldn't have the time, Harry," she said, sadly. "Don't have equipment either."

"Well…there's a little room across this very Hallway that would be stocked with _everything_ you could ever possibly require if you would only ask of it," Harry said, wisely. "Tell you what. Ron, 'Mione and I are only in there on an evening. Why not spend your weekends or afternoons in there? Last I heard you'd given up Quidditch after me and Ron left. Shame, you were an excellent Chaser… But anyway, it might help."

Ginny stared at him, her legs swinging gently, thinking hard. Harry had a point. Maybe one of the Arts_ could_ help.

"You know what, Harry? I might just do that," she said, after a pause. Harry smiled at her, noticing the strange light gleaming brightly within her auburn eyes. That wonderfully determined look that Harry loved to see shined through them, and his heart melted with pleasure at her smile.

"Good... Hungry?" he asked.

"Famished," she replied. Harry took her hand and they jumped from the desk and made for the door together.

"Ron's probably had Dobby bring up enough food to feed an army, by now. Let's go and see if he needs any help with it."

* * *

"Thanks Dobby!" Ron shouted, as Dobby retreated towards the door, bowing on every alternate step. Rose refrained from laughing with great difficulty. Hermione looked horrified, but kept her silence. 

"Not at all, Master Wheezy. Dobby is delighted to see you again. You is Harry Potter's most esteemed friend, sir, and is therefore a friend of Dobby's. I is most privileged to help, Master Wheezy and Miss Granger."

Dobby looked up quickly, spotting The Doctor and Rose, who was giggling madly despite her efforts to stop herself. The Doctor glared at her, but was soon trying to restrain a smile of his own as he watched her.

"Hey, Dobby! Do you want to hang around for Harry? He won't be long," Ron said, quickly, seizing three sandwiches from the plate in front of them. Dobby beamed at him.

"Thank you, Sir! I would be honoured!" He walked forwards and sat on the floor, watching them through his large, green eyes.

"And who is you, Sir and Miss?" he asked curiously, staring at Rose and The Doctor. Rose straightened her face and looked up at The Doctor, smiling cheekily.

"We're… friends," he said, quickly.

"Friends of Harry Potter, Sir?"

"Yep!" Rose called, cheerfully. "I'm Rose Tyler, and Mr Miserable here's The Doctor. I prefer to call him Mr Spock, though."

Hermione fell into a fit of uncontrollable giggles and threw herself backwards into a large armchair, laughing hysterically. Rose soon joined her. The Doctor made an impatient noise and reached for a sandwich from the plate Dobby had brought them, eyeing them both moodily.

"Mr Spock?" Hermione choked, tears of laughter stinging at her eyes. Ron was watching her, fascinated.

"Well, it… it s-seemed appropriate," Rose managed, before she started again. The pair of them were rolling around, roaring with laughter, as Ron, The Doctor and Dobby all sat, watching.

"Who's Mr Spock?" Ron asked curiously through a mouthful of chicken, when they had calmed down enough to be engaged into normal conversation again.

"Oh, a TV character," Hermione sighed happily. "I used to watch Star Trek with my Dad, when I was young. Before I came here, obviously."

"What, do you not have TVs here?" Rose asked, astonished.

"Nothing electrical works around Hogwarts. There's too much magic in the air."

The Doctor stared at her quickly. "Did you say nothing _electrical_ works here?"

"Yes, things just shut down, nothing can power them. Why, is there a problem?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing you could help with," The Doctor sighed. "The TARDIS wasn't working when we went earlier on, so that could be a part of the reason why. But I still believe there's something else going on. If it was just the inability to use electricity, then we'd still be able to enter it. Something, or someone, is draining the power."

Rose, who had looked up hopefully at the thought of an answer to their problem, dropped her gaze and grabbed a biscuit. She soon noticed Dobby watching her unblinkingly, and turned to him.

"What's up?" she asked.

"You is very pretty, Miss." Rose blushed. "May I ask what you is doing here at Hogwarts, Miss? You looks too old to be a student."

"Visiting," Rose replied, smiling. Well, it was half true. They had intended to 'visit' _somewhere_, it was just that their location had altered a little… or a lot…

"Oh. So you is not here about the War, then, Miss?"

"No, but we're going to help out, anyway. It's not like we've anywhere else to go, now." Rose smiled warmly and reached for a glass of a strange, orange liquid. "What's this?"

Ron glanced at it. "Pumpkin Juice," he tried, spraying her with chocolate. "Oops, sorry," he added, wiping at his mouth.

"Ronald Weasley, you do know that's disgusting, don't you?" Hermione said, conversationally, biting into a Ham Sandwich.

"Yep!" Ron replied, smiling. Rose laughed.

"No alcohol around here, then?" she asked, sniffing at her drink.

"There's a little in the kitchen's, Miss," Dobby said quickly. "But you would have to come to collect it. We house elves is not allowed in the brewery, Miss. The fumes is too strong for us."

"Shame… I really fancied getting plastered," The Doctor sighed unexpectedly. Rose stared at him in shock. He smiled cheekily. "Yes, Rose. The New Me can drink. Well, I suppose what I should really say there is,The New Me is_ willing to_ drink, as the old me could drink too, but he just didn't, for some reason…" Hermione snorted at Rose's blank look.

There was a knock on the door and a moment later, Ginny and Harry entered, smiling. Dobby jumped to his feet and bowed so low that his bat-like ears lay flat on the carpeted floor.

"Harry Potter, sir!" he squealed with delight. "I is so glad to see you well, sir!"

"Hey, Dobby!" Harry replied, brightly. He closed the door with a click and pulled out his wand, locking it wordlessly. His non-verbal spells had improved a great deal over the previous weeks. "Thanks for doing this, and it's wonderful to see you again."

"It was nothing, Harry Potter, Sir. Dobby is a happy elf, now, sir. I is going to take my leave to the kitchens, now. Good luck, Harry Potter, and Harry Potter's friends. I is hoping Dobby can see you again soon, Sirs and Misses." Harry smiled.

"How about tonight? We might be eating up here about nine, so you can come up then, if you want."

"Dobby would be delighted, Sir. Until nine o'clock, Sirs and Misses," and he disappeared with a loud _crack_.

"Feeling better, Gin?" Ron called thickly.

"Exceedingly," Ginny replied, flopping down into a chair and grabbing a small cake from the tea tray.

"Excellent smack, sis. I'd rather you'd pulled out your wand, though. I think a Bat Bogey Hex would have been more appropriate, there."

"I've already got one detention tonight, I didn't want another one, as well," Ginny replied, sourly.

"What on Earth for?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Hexing Colin Creevey," she replied, matter-of-factly, shrugging. "What?" she asked indignantly when Hermione shook her head. "He was irritating me in Potions!"

"Good on you, Gin!" Harry called, smiling. "What'd you use?"

"Levicorpus," Ginny grinned, evilly. Even Hermione snorted then.

"You mean you cast the levitating spell in the middle of Slughorn's lesson?" Ginny nodded, smiling broadly. She glanced over to The Doctor and blinked innocently.

"Would you care to see?"

Rose nodded with enthusiasm as The Doctor grinned manically. Ginny pulled out her wand and raised it, pointing at nothing in particular. Her eyes flickered towards Harry, who shook his head in warning and pulled out his own wand again in case she tried what he was thinking she would.

Quick as a flash, she pointed it at Ron, who had just bitten into an apple and was smiling contentedly.

"_Levicorpus_!" she thought quickly, her lips sealed, her brow furrowed in concentration.

A bright flash of light launched from her wand and the next second, Ron was dangling in mid-air, his ankle poised as though hoisted up by a large, invisible hook. The apple hit the floor with a thud as he threw his arms up wildly, swinging. The Room roared with laughter as Ron dangled back and forth fuming, arms crossed and face scarlet.

"Very funny, Ginevra," he called over the cackles.

"Sorry, Ron, couldn't resist!" she laughed as she let him down again. He fell with a muffled thud onto one of the squashy armchairs and glared at her. She looked up in time to see Harry pick up one of the remaining sandwiches and chew happily on it. Her insides bubbled with happiness. She grinned at him, and he smiled back.

"So what time's that meeting tonight?" Ron asked, his ears still remarkably red.

"Seven o'clock in McGonagall's office," Harry said, his smile slipping. "How am I supposed to tell them?"

Hermione watched him sympathetically. "Just tell them the truth. McGonagall might tell them, anyway. Maybe you won' t need to say anything, Harry."

"Why? What's wrong?" Ginny asked, worriedly. She glanced between Harry and Hermione, who were wearing identical looks of apprehensiveness for the evening's events.

There was a long silence, during which Harry looked everywhere but at her. When he had exhausted all options and had registered his collision with a large brick wall, he turned to her, but studied the floor by her feet.

"I'm taking over for Dumbledore," he muttered quietly. Ginny gasped, and stared at him. Rose and The Doctor shared a glance. There was a pause.

"Does that mean… you're the new Head Wizard, then?" The Doctor asked. That was what it sounded like to him, anyway. Rose nodded in agreement.

"Something like that," Ginny muttered faintly when Harry failed to answer. "But why have they asked you?"

"Morale booster, I guess," Harry sighed. "That, and no-one else is experienced enough. Which is odd, as I've only been with The Order for two months, so I don't know who they were comparing me with. But hey, I've got loads to do already, so why not add one more little thing to the balance?"

"Harry, it isn't funny!"

"Who said I was joking?"

"Ok guys, let's calm it down a bit, yeah?" Rose called quickly, trying to divert another argument.

"Sorry," Harry muttered, falling back into his chair heavily.

"That's quite alright, Harry," she replied, briskly. "And who's Dumbledore?"

"He was Headmaster here until… a few months ago… he was killed by Snape. Potion's master," he added at their raised eyebrows. "Mentor, father, grandfather, friend, everything…"

"Start from the beginning," The Doctor said, quickly, as Rose made to interrupt again. Harry sighed and nodded, reaching for a glass of water and downing the lot in one. The atmosphere tensed immediately, and Ron, Hermione and Ginny shared a nervous glance before settling themselves down for what was probably going to be another long and emotional recollection.

Today was turning into a _very _long day...

* * *

**Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews you've given me! Update _hopefully_ before the weekend, but don't hold me to that! Review if you like…or don't like…**


	10. Remembrance is a Painful Thing

**LittleGinny15: **Wow, thanks! That's a big compliment! Sigh, me too. Rose gets David…I want David!...Who says I never planned to slip Bad Wolf in somewhere? I mean it was practically the biggest thing in the newest series; I couldn't really miss off a mention. And I think I've found the _perfect_ place to bring it back. My fic will become an AU! afterwards, though. Not just yet...but it will be back, soon. Thanks for reviewing!

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Remembrance is a Painful Thing**

Harry got slowly to his feet and moved towards the large, stained-glass window at the far end of the Room. The low hung clouds and lingering mist did nothing to improve his spirits. He knelt against the window-sill, searching through the fog for anything remotely appealing. A tiny blue dot on the edge of the forest caught his eye, and he stared at it, frowning.

"Er… Doctor?"

"Yeah?"

"…What does your ship look like?"

"Are you trying to avoid the subject, again?" Rose asked shiftily. The Doctor flashed her a small smile. Harry ignored her.

"Is it blue?"

"Yes, a blue, 1950's police box. We landed on the outskirts of a forest, if you can see it from there. Don't worry, it's empty… unfortunately," he added, sighing.

"Right." Harry shook his head and moved away from the window. He crossed to a large multi-level shelf that wended along the entire room, dragging his hand gently over the items on display absent-mindedly as he past them.

"Well, I don't know what to say," he said finally, as the silence spiralled horribly.

"I suppose… who you are would be a good place to begin," The Doctor said, smiling weakly. "Who are your parents?"

"They're… they're dead," Ginny said quietly. Rose looked horrified, but The Doctor glanced at her, and nodded with acceptance.

"I kind of expected that," he muttered sadly.

"Lily and James Potter… Head Boy and Girl during their seventh year here. My dad was a born wizard, but my mum was Muggle-born. She looked a lot like Ginny, actually."

"Whereas Harry's a spitting image of his father," Ginny smiled. Ron and Hermione both nodded.

"They were killed… well, murdered… on Halloween, 1981, by Lord Voldemort. The Avada Kedavra Curse is one of The Three Unforgivable Curses; a group of spells that can grant you a life sentence in Azkaban if you used them on another person."

"So that's… a prison, is it?" Rose asked. Harry nodded.

"Avada Kedavra is The Killing Curse. Then there's The Imperius, which gives you total control, and Cruciatus, The Torture Curse. And I've been on the receiving end of all three," Harry announced, his face blank.

"So you're famous for surviving Avada Kedavra, then?" The Doctor said. When Harry nodded, he shared a look with Rose. She sighed and smiled, accepting the fact that the 'new' him was probably going to be right about everything.

_Smart Arse!_ she thought, her heart thumping a little harder than usual as his 'I told you so' look burnt through her. That conversation in The Hospital Wing seemed a lifetime ago to her.

"I was one, when they died. Voldemort came to where my parents were living, in a village called Godric's Hollow. He killed my father, and then turned to me. My mum was in the way, though. She didn't have to die… he only wanted me. He killed her, but her sacrifice marked me… so when he turned his wand on me, the Curse back-fired and hit Voldemort instead. He vanished, not dead because of his Horcruxes, but… vanquished, I suppose. Spirit-form, neither alive nor dead.

"I was sent to live with my mum's sister, Petunia. I spent ten years living in Hell, with my Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin, until my eleventh Birthday when I received a letter from Hogwarts telling me I had a place here.

"Well, naturally, I had an enemy from my very first train-ride here. Draco Malfoy. Need I say more? Luckily… I found a best friend on the same journey, too," he added, smiling at Ron. Ron beamed back. "We were sorted into Gryffindor. There's four school houses, you see; Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

"So where do you come into it, Hermione? Were you in Gryffindor too?" Rose asked, curiously.

"Yes. I was the resident Know-It-All," Hermione said, smiling.

"_Was_? You still _are_!" Ron cried, indignantly. Ginny snorted. Hermione glared at him, but he ignored her and turned to Rose instead.

"We saved her on Halloween in our first year," he said, smugly. "A mountain troll. Me and Harry found her in the Girl's Bathroom and I knocked out the troll after Harry had distracted it."

"With a spell that_ I_ helped you with! And I was only there because you upset me, in the first place, Ron!" Hermione responded, scathingly. Ron stuck his tongue out at her, and smiled. She glared back, sticking out her own, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"They haven't changed much," he muttered to Rose and The Doctor. They smiled.

"Well anyway," Ginny interrupted loudly, pulling Ron and Hermione from their private 'who has the longest tongue?' competition. "They were friends from then on. They worked together to break a series of obstacles that were guarding the Philosopher's Stone at the end of their first year."

"The what?" Rose asked, interestedly.

"A blood-red stone that contains the key to both wealth and immortality," The Doctor replied, watching Harry for agreement. Harry nodded again. "It's pretty advanced alchemy. Few can master creating them; well, not for a few hundred years, anyway. You'll get there, eventually," he grinned, turning back to Ginny. Harry was examining a small mirror on one of the shelves with interest, only half-listening to the conversation.

"I started at Hogwarts the following year," Ginny continued. "Harry stayed over at our house that Summer. It was so embarrassing," she sighed. "I couldn't do anything right whenever he was around." Harry looked up at her.

"The butter dish," he said simply, smiling.

"Aargh! The butter dish! I can't believe you remember that!" she laughed, holding her head in her hands and shaking it violently. "I was pathetic!"

"So we were in our second year, then. Harry and Ron flew Ron's Dad's car to Hogwarts when they missed the train. You know that huge tree in the Grounds?" Hermione asked. The Doctor nodded, and she grinned evilly. "That's the Whomping Willow. They crashed a bright blue Ford Anglia into the most 'snappy' of all trees, and got away with it!"

"Didn't! We got such a talking to from McGonagall and Snape _and _Dumbledore afterwards. That was_ not_ pleasant, Herms!" Ron shot back.

"Oh, don't forget the Howler," she added, cheerfully. "This scarlet letter exploded in the middle of Breakfast in the Great Hall, and Ron's mother was heard shouting herself hoarse at him. You should have seen his face. Priceless!" she laughed. Rose snorted, and The Doctor shook his head, wearing a 'you did break the rules' look that Ron thought was an uncanny imitation of Hermione.

"What else happened that year?" Hermione muttered vaguely.

"You mean besides Muggle-borns getting petrified by a gigantic snake, the entire school finding out that I can speak Parseltongue, which is just a fancy word for Snake Language," he added hurriedly before Rose could speak, "Riddle's Diary bewitching Gin, Gilderoy sodding Lockhart, us accusing Hagrid of setting a Basilisk on students, Killer Bludgers from Dobby, Duelling Club, Polyjuice Potion, those _Huge_ Spiderish ancestors of Aragog, and The Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked, counting the events on his fingers.

"Don't forget Ginny's love poem for you, Harry," Ron added.

"How could I?" he muttered. "I'm sorry, Gin, but '_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickle toad_'? I mean…_what_ was that about?" Ginny blushed as Rose and Hermione collapsed with laughter.

"Sorry! I was eleven, Harry!" she replied, indignantly. "Besides, it got your attention, didn't it?" she added brightly. Harry snorted but said nothing.

"You talk to snakes?"

"Oh, yeah. I've been doing it for years. Before I became a wizard, even."

Rose stared at him, then shook her head and turned to face Ron, who was smiling.

"Then came year three," he said. "Harry left The Dursley's with a special leaving present."

"What was that?"

There was a pause.

"He blew up his Uncle's sister, Marge," Ron grinned. Rose choked and stared at Ron in shock.

"_Are you serious_?" she cried. The Doctor stared at Harry, his eyes wide.

"How'd you do that, then?" he asked, restraining a wide grin with difficulty.

"Just lost control, I think. I mean, a few weeks before I started at Hogwarts, I set a Boa Constrictor loose on my Cousin, Dudley, at the zoo on his Birthday. That's what I was talking about before. First time I spoke to a snake. I never did find out if it made it to Brazil like it said it was hoping to. Anyway, if I get rattled enough, I end up casting accidental magic. It's getting better, though," Harry smiled, trying to sound defensive.

"Was she hurt?" Rose whispered in horror.

"Oh, no I didn't 'blow her up', I just, 'blew her up'… inflated her, somehow," Harry reassured her. "I mean, she was a huge woman, and she just got a bit bigger… well, a lot bigger, actually. She was floating around on the roof like a balloon when the Ministry arrived." Rose and Ginny were rolling around in their seats.

"So anyway… that year, there was the Dementors to look forward to." The atmosphere thinned, slightly. "They guard Azkaban usually- not anymore, like, they've joined Voldemort, now- but they did originally. Only in our Third year, Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban and was on the hunt for me. Only, it wasn't me he was after, but Pettigrew. Sirius is… was, my Godfather, and my Dad's best friend. There was also Remus Lupin; who was our Defence Against The Dark Arts Teacher in our Third Year, and Peter Pettigrew. The four of them invented The Marauders' Map, an amazing map of Hogwarts. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. Lupin was a werewolf, and we found out that my dad, Sirius and Wormtail became Animagi while they were at school to keep Moony company when he transformed. My dad became a Stag, Sirius was a Dog, and Wormtail was a Rat."

"So Animagi change their appearances?" Rose confirmed. The teens nodded at her, and she fell silent, listening.

"Harry, Ron and I discovered the truth, and worked to free Sirius, who had been wrongly framed for Pettigrew's murder." Hermione said. "Everyone had believed that Sirius betrayed Lily and James' whereabouts to V-Voldemort. But it had been Pettigrew, not Sirius. He'd cut off his own finger in the middle of a street full of Muggles, and shouted that Sirius had betrayed them all. Then he'd transformed and fled, leaving Sirius standing in the middle of an explosion, with a finger lying in front of his feet. The evidence against him had him sent straight to Azkaban, where he was imprisoned until our Third Year."

"Harry and Hermione helped Sirius escape on the back of a stolen Hippogriff," Ron continued, "and he spent the next year in hiding. We saw him a couple of times, though. He was staying in Hogsmeade, up in the mountains, so we saw him on our days off."

"Fourth Year was… eventful," Ginny agreed. "There was The Quidditch World Cup, which was brilliant until Death Eaters started attacking everyone there. They work for You-Know-Who," she explained when The Doctor raised an eyebrow at her. "They didn't at the time; it was just for fun, at the World Cup. Letting people know_ they_ were still around, even though You-Know-Who wasn't."

"Harry was entered into The Triwizard Tournament, in our Fourth Year," Ron said, quietly. "It was the first time the Tournament had been held in years, due to dangerous tasks and deaths of competitors. But they brought it back with an age-limit. Mad-Eye Moody entered Harry's name into the Goblet of Fire, which chose the contestants from each of the three schools, so there ended up being four champions."

"Yeah, but it wasn't Mad-Eye, was it?" Hermione added. "Barty Crouch Jr did it after he'd used Polyjuice Potion to take Moody's place as Defence teacher. He looked a lot like you, actually Doctor… Must be the side-burns…" and she fell silent, blushing.

The Doctor grinned cheekily. He loved the effect his new appearance had on the ladies. Rose, however was oblivious.

"How many teachers have you had for that subject?" she asked, astonished.

"Oh, a different one every year. Quirrel, Lockhart, Lupin; who was best by far, Moody-Crouch Jr, Umbridge and Snape."

"But you said Snape was a Potions teacher… the one who killed Dumbledore," Rose said, confused.

"Yeah, but he bagged Defence in our Sixth year," Ron replied. "Slughorn took over potions. He's still here now."

"Oh." Rose disguised her confusion, not wanting to drag the conversation out any longer than it had to be, and turned to Harry, who was sitting silently in a chair next to Ginny, lost in thought.

"Are you alright?" she asked, concerned. Harry glanced up at her, and nodded.

"Yeah, just… remembering…" and he fell silent.

"So what happened during this Tournament?" asked The Doctor.

"Well, there are three main magical schools; Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons. A handful of students from both schools came to Hogwarts with their Heads and on Halloween, The Goblet of Fire picked out three names, one from each school. There was Fleur Delacour, Viktor Krum, and Cedric Diggory."

"But, Harry's name had been submitted under a fourth school, so he was called out, too. Ron became jealous, mainly because of Harry's fame, and the fact that he was a Champion as well, now. There was gold, and the exclusion from End-of-year Exams as a reward for taking part, too. He received so much stick for being made an under-age Champion. Everyone apart from Hermione was against him, and thought he'd done it to up his fame level."

Ginny paused as she thought, her eyes lingering on Ron, who shifted guiltily in his seat. Hermione reached across and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "There were three tasks for the Champions. The first was a dragon. Harry used his Quidditch skills to overcome that task, and he made up with Ron afterwards."

"Then there was an Underwater task," Hermione took over. "Each Champion had to swim to the bottom of the Black Lake to rescue someone they held dear to them. Ron and I were both taken for that. Harry saved Ron, Viktor saved me," Rose registered the blush in Hermione's cheeks as she said that, "and there was Cho Chang who was saved by Cedric. Fleur's sister, Gabrielle, was saved by Harry, too, when Fleur never turned up…"

"…All thanks to my 'saving people' kick," Harry spoke suddenly. His eyes were blank, emotionless. His voice was empty. "Those tasks were nothing compared to the last one. They'd built a maze on the Quidditch Pitch. It was huge. We had to make it to the centre of the maze, where the Triwizard Cup had been placed. That was a challenge in itself. It might have been fun if it hadn't ended the way it had.

"The cup… it transported, Cedric and me to a graveyard… to Voldemort."

He fell silent, and The Doctor studied him, thinking.

"If you don't want to… you know… go into details, you can leave it, Harry," he said, softly. "It might help to talk, though." Rose nodded her agreement, her eyes flickering over each face in front of her. Harry curled his knees into his chest on the chair, resting his chin on top. He waited, before continuing, his voice quiet, dull.

"Pettigrew was there, and he killed Cedric about a minute after we'd landed. I was tied to a tombstone of Voldemort's father, and forced to sit and watch as Pettigrew brought Voldemort back right in front of my eyes." Rose gasped, but no-one else made any kind of response. They'd heard it all before, and The Doctor seemed too concerned to interrupt.

"_Bone from the father, unknowingly given_

_You will renew your son…_

_Flesh of the servant, willingly given_

_You will revive your master…_

_Blood of the enemy…forcibly taken_

_You will resurrect your foe…_"

An uncomfortable silence followed, lingering horribly. Nobody had heard _that_ before.

"He returned… there were Death Eaters… a speech… Wormtail's sliver hand… and then we duelled…

"Our wands share the same core. Fawkes was Dumbledore's pet phoenix, and both my wand and Voldemort's have one of Fawkes' tail feathers as our wand-cores. So our wands are basically brothers. And they connected when we set them up against each other… Priori Incantatem, the reverse spell effect…

"My wand forced Voldemort's to show the spells it had conjured before the joining. There were ghosts of all of the people Voldemort had killed before his down-fall… including my parents…"

"Harry," Ginny muttered, reaching across and grasping his hand. She didn't know what she could say, though. He needed to talk about it, no matter how hard it was to listen.

"They told me what I had to do, in the end. My parents. I got back to the Cup, grabbed Cedric, and we were sent back to Hogwarts. It was unreal. There was just… chaos, everywhere. I don't know what happened after that until I kind of, woke up, in Moody's office. He revealed himself, confessing all sorts of acts… and he was about a second from killing me when Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape burst in, stopping him before he could even start.

"He changed back into Crouch, and was given Veritaserum. Then I was just sat there for about ten minutes, while Dumbledore questioned him about everything. Working for Voldemort, Imperiusing his father, _killing_ his father, the Cup and watching over me.

"I was taken up to Dumbledore's office, and questioned myself. Sirius was there, and then I was sent to The Hospital Wing, where Fudge, who was the Minister for Magic then, refused to accept that Voldemort was back."

"Harry's Fifth year was a killer," Ron said, shaking his head. "He was attacked by Dementors at his Aunt's, and he was sent to a Ministry Hearing just for saving his own life and his cousins'."

"They let me off, but it was a close thing," Harry muttered darkly. "Then there was the uncovering of The Order of The Phoenix, which was founded by Dumbledore. It's an association working against Voldemort and the Death Eaters. That's where the meeting's going to be tonight. It'll probably be back at Grimmauld Place… Sirius' old house. Technically, it's mine, now, because Sirius left it to me in his will. He died in my Fifth Year," he added, almost inaudibly, when Rose opened her mouth to ask.

"Harry had been having flashes from Voldemort all year, until our History of Magic exam, when he saw Sirius being tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries which is at The Ministry of Magic. He'd seen loads of things before… Ron's dad was bitten by a snake while he was guarding the Department of Mysteries, and Harry saw the whole thing. It was because of Harry that Mr Weasley survived," Hermione said, sadly.

"Only this time," Ginny began, "You-Know-Who had tricked Harry into going to the Ministry of Magic. He knew Harry would want to help Sirius, so he made Harry believe that Sirius was in danger."

"We'd started this Anti-Umbridge Defence group," Ron continued, smiling. "She was a complete failure as a teacher, and refused to let us use practical defence. We found out it was because Fudge feared Dumbledore wanted to overthrow him by attacking his government with students. Ironically, we called ourselves Dumbledore's Army. It caught their attention. So we started our own classes. Harry taught us spells that he'd mastered, because he has to be _the best_ Defence student Hogwarts has had in a long time," he called proudly. "So there was a group of us from The DA, who went with Harry to help at the Ministry."

"We were fighting against Death Eaters when we arrived and found out that Sirius wasn't there," Ginny said. " I think Harry and Neville were the only ones who were fighting when Sirius died. A load of the Order had come to help when they heard about what Harry had seen, from Snape. Most of us were injured."

"Sirius shouldn't have been there," Harry muttered wildly. "He should have been at Grimmauld Place. He only left because of me, and I shouldn't have made him come after me."

"Don't blame yourself Harry," The Doctor called, sharply. "You were tricked into helping. Believe me, I'd have done exactly the same thing if it had been me."

"Hear, hear!" Rose added, nodding.

There was a pause, until Hermione cleared her throat and took over telling the story.

"We came into our Sixth year with… I don't know, _worry_, I guess. Voldemort was public, now, after fighting with both Harry and Dumbledore at the Ministry and getting discovered by Aurors. Fudge was ousted and Rufus Scimgeour overtook management. Harry's sixth year was mainly preparing himself for the inevitable fight against Voldemort."

"Dumbledore had revealed a prophecy to me after Sirius' death, telling me about why Voldemort had singled me out as a baby. This prophecy had told of a child born at the end of July who would bring about The Dark Lord's Downfall. It turned out to be me in the end, but it never had to be. It could have been… someone else, but Voldemort chose to mark me instead. That's why he was set to kill me. He didn't want to wait until I learnt the truth, because it would have been harder to kill me if I was prepared for it. It backfired nicely, though," he added, an evil glint within his startling eyes.

"Dumbledore told me, and showed me, about Voldemort's past, and we found out that the reason he survived when Avada Kedavra backfired was because he had created Horcruxes. In other words, he'd split his soul through murder. Nothing could kill him, because it wasn't _all _of him. His soul would have survived if anything harmed his body.

"The night Dumbledore died, we'd gone in search of one of the Horcruxes. We _think_ he made six, and had a seventh piece inside his body. We've found and adjusted three of them, so there are three left somewhere. We got back, and Death Eaters had entered the Castle with the help of Draco Malfoy.

"We landed on the Astronomy Tower. Dumbledore was injured, from a strange potion that had been guarding the Horcrux we'd gone for. He was weak, ill… dying, I think. Malfoy cornered us, but he couldn't kill Dumbledore. He was just stalling, though. A load of Death Eaters were there within about five minutes, and Snape arrived just after them.

"It was strange… I mean, Dumbledore actually _pleaded_… he was begging for something, but Snape just ignored him… Avada Kedavra, and then, that was it… the fall of the greatest wizard ever… Just like that…" and he fell silent. Ginny squeezed his hand again, as the room fell into silence.

Ron and Hermione were staring at the floor, as Rose and The Doctor watched Harry. He seemed to have reached the end of his story, or at least, wasn't about to tell them anything more. They had to admit, though; they'd received a lot more than they'd expected. A lot of their questions had been answered, too.

The Doctor sighed, and nodded. They'd heard enough.

"Thank you, Harry," he said, quietly. Rose sniffed, fighting back tears yet again. They'd cried enough that day.

Harry glanced up and stared intently at The Doctor.

"No… thank you," he replied, softly. Ginny stood up and moved to sit on his lap, kissing him gently on the forehead. He sighed, and fell back into his chair, eyes closed. "You were right… talking does help."

Somewhere beyond their notice, the bell rang to signal the start of afternoon lessons for the few Hogwarts Students remaining at the Castle. The six friends sat in companionable silence in the Room or Requirement, thinking over everything they had heard from each other, and about what was still left to be said.

The Doctor sighed and glanced at Rose. He smiled, faintly.

"I think I need a cup of tea," he sighed, finally.

* * *

**Thanks guys! I hope you liked it! As always, R & R! **

**Oh, and enjoy your Holidays, too!**


	11. Learning the Truth

Thanks for the reviews** AmyAmidala **and **Rosie! **I think I replied (it won't let me answer them now, anyway), but I'll mention you here too! Loved your reviews! I'm flattered! Thanks so much!

**Lesslyn: **Oh, I would love to be The Doctor's companion…'drools uncontrollably at the thought of me and David alone in the TARDIS…' Ahem, sorry, 'bout that. Thanks so much for that lovely review! Here's an update, and I hope it doesn't disappoint!

**LittleGinny15:** Yay! Franz Ferdinand! Brilliant! Sequel it? I haven't even finished this one yet! Still…it's a good idea though. Maybe if I could leave it on a cliff-hanger… interesting ideas. Maybe if I _almost_ kill off, instead of killing off… never mind. Thanks for reviewing!

**'Sigh' Still not mine. Oh, and David Tennant in Glasses? That's excruciating Hotness! Hope you Like!

* * *

**

**Learning the Truth**

Ten minutes later, Ginny had returned to class, explaining hurriedly to an inquisitive Professor Slughorn that she had been caught up in a meeting with the Headmistress. Hermione had dragged Ron back to the Library, despite his protests, to search for information on The Underworld, and Harry had been called for by Professor Lupin. He had apparated away almost immediately, quickly telling The Doctor that they had a couple of hours to kill before the Order meeting and that they should explore the Castle.

"Meet me in The Entrance Hall at quarter to seven," he had called as he pulled on his cloak. He'd then turned to Lupin, whose face had been graced with a similar look of tiredness as Harry's, and they had disappeared with two simultaneous Cracks.

Rose glanced at The Doctor and sighed.

"So… what do you want to do, then?"

The Doctor drained his mug and placed it onto the small table, glancing at the window and contemplating the view from the Room of Requirement.

"Well, I wouldn't mind a walk, but there's no way I'm going out in that," he answered quietly, gazing longingly at the small blue blip amidst the endless grey fog. A soft, almost glazed expression fell across his face, as though he was seeing something beyond what they could physically see.

The lights dimmed suddenly, plunging them into darkness. Rose had raised herself to her feet, preparing to stumble towards the wall for a light switch. But a second later, a bright, white light replaced the endless blackness and she stopped. She fell backwards, expecting to fall into her chair again, but there was nothing there. She hit the ground sharply, and cried out in shock.

A dull thud told her The Doctor had just hit the deck as well. Her hands glided gently over something warm and soft, and there was a strange sound echoing around them.

Water…the sea…

"What the Hell's -?" but the whiteness faded and Rose felt her jaw drop. They were sitting on a beautiful, sandy beach, a deep, staining sun bathing them in warmth and comfort as it shone softly. Dusk.

An unearthly sea lay before them, lapping gently against the blindingly white sand, its waters an unnatural turquoise. There was a strange but comforting silence; only the sea seemed to make any kind of sound as it swayed further and further in land towards them. Large trees of varying species and colour whispered faintly behind them, the soft rustle of miss-matched leaves a soothing sound against the surreal silence.

Paradise.

"How strange." The Doctor muttered.

"Where are we?" Rose asked in wonder.

"Well, my imagination."

Rose gaped at him, eyes as round as saucers.

"Come again?"

The Doctor pulled himself to his feet and gazed out over the sea towards the horizon, watching as the sun disappeared below the surface, the strange orange glow of the sky becoming richer. The sea and sand were as blue and white as ever. No shadows or areas of cool darkness fell across them, despite the approach of night. Only the sky seemed to be affected by the sinking sun.

"Well… when I said I fancied a walk… I was imagining… this…" and he fell silent, staring in wonder as the waves rolled gently over the sand in front of them.

"Are we still in the Castle?" Rose asked in astonishment as she moved her hands gently over the sand below her. It felt so warm, so real. Surely this was an illusion. Maybe she'd knocked her head when she'd fallen…

"Well, I'm presuming so. Think about it, Rose. The Room of Requirement. It probably changes depending on what you want. I bet if you moved over to where the door was before, you'll find it again."

Rose stumbled to her feet and walked towards where she thought the wall had been before the strange light show, feeling around almost blindly. To her amazement, there was a solid barrier. Her hands stopped palm first against some invisible force, knocking her backwards slightly, and as she moved them across, they came into contact with a cool, brass handle. She gasped and turned to The Doctor, who was watching her with amusement.

"Told you," he said, smiling. "Want to leave and explore, or stay here?"

"Do you really need to ask, Doctor?" she asked sceptically, her eyes lingering eagerly on the sparkling waters in front of them.

"Well, I'm all for Heaven, but I thought you were too curious to cope with stopping in one place for a bit. I mean, it's a brand new world, lots to see. Sure you don't mind waiting around here?"

"Why not wait for a grand tour? We have got a time limit after all, and the castle looked huge on the outside. We can't be getting lost. At least if we wait here until we're needed, we know where we are. Besides… it's beautiful." She turned to him and stared at him thoughtfully.

The Doctor fidgeted slightly under her gaze, blushing, but didn't look away. She paused, and turned to the view.

"I never knew you had such a vivid imagination," she muttered.

"Neither did I," he admitted quietly as he sank to the floor, wrapping his arms around his knees and watching the last remnants of sunshine disappear below the horizon. Rose paused, watching him. Then she stepped forwards and sat down beside him, shrugging her jumper from her shoulders. She untied her trainers, pulled her socks from her feet, and dropped them next to her jacket, gasping with pleasure as her toes wriggled in the warm softness of the sand.

Stars blossomed in the velvet sky, too many to count; their twinkling smiles had Rose sighing with happiness as she watched them. A large full moon sent soft legs of light towards them, but they never hit the ground. The strange streaks of moonlight hovered in the air, fluttering beautifully around them, never touching.

"You said you wanted a walk," Rose reminded him, softly.

"Hmm? Oh. I like it here… unless you want to," he added, quickly. Rose shook her head and fell onto her back, staring up at the star-strewn sky.

"Nah, I'm good."

The Doctor glanced at her and watched as the starlight was reflected endlessly within her eyes. She smiled.

"It's rude to stare, you know, Doctor," she called, cheekily. He blushed again and returned to watching the sea. The glittering quality it seemed to create against the silky back-drop suggested the substance before them was crystal rather than water.

"Sorry," he sighed. "I just… well, I mean… Oh, I don't know anymore..." and he trailed off hopelessly.

"Don't know what?" Rose asked curiously, raising her head to look at him.

"I don't know what I don't know… I don't know what I mean. No… I think I mean I don't know who I am."

Rose paused, trying to work out what he had just said.

"Well neither do I," she smiled when the pieces finally fit into place, "but it's nothing to worry about. Just consider it a challenge that needs conquering. We'll get there in the end," Rose replied as she fell back onto the sand again.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. His voice was barely more than a whisper, but the words lingered in the air, hauntingly.

"What for?"

"For changing, for sending you away, for bringing you into this… for dying…" and he fell silent again. Rose sat up, staring at him sadly.

"Right, you haven't changed, you've just… changed… so there's no need to apologise for that because you're still you. You sent me away to protect me and I know that you didn't want to, so there's no need to apologise for that either. I wanted to travel with you, and I wouldn't want to live any other way, so there's no need to apologise for bringing me here. And you haven't died."

"But I did. I couldn't survive for you as I was. I left you behind. I changed. I died. I'm not me anymore."

Rose sighed and clambered to her feet. She walked over and dropped to her knees in front of him, taking his hand in hers. He blinked and turned away, staring at nothing in particular as he tried to avoid her penetrating gaze.

"What happened, Doctor?" she asked, quietly. The Doctor shook his head, sighing heavily.

"I'm sorry, I can't," he muttered. "Don't make me relive it, Rose."

"How can you expect me to understand and help you if you can't even…" but as she raised her right hand and pressed it onto his knee hoping to comfort him, she gasped and her body tensed, her eyes becoming oddly misted and blank. The Doctor turned to her as he felt her convulse slightly.

"Rose? Rose, are you alright?"

Her eyes snapped shut and she fell gracefully forwards.

"Rose!"

He caught her quickly, his hearts beating painfully against his chest. Laying her down gently, he stared in shock as her eyes opened almost immediately. Hardly three seconds had past, and she was staggering to her feet again, backing away slowly.

"Rose, what on Earth -?"

"It was my fault," she muttered wildly. "It was all my fault…"

"What was?"

"I killed you… I killed him…" and tears began to cascade carelessly down her cheeks. She fell to her knees and brought her hands up to her face, her nails digging painfully into her cheeks. "I killed him…"

The Doctor felt his heart thump agonizingly hard as a large lump settled itself into his throat. He stared at her in shock as she rocked gently, tears falling thick and fast onto the sand below.

"No. No, you didn't, Rose."

"I shouldn't have gone back. I should have stayed with Mum and Mickey. He wouldn't have died if I hadn't looked into the TARDIS. He wouldn't have needed to sacrifice himself to make me stop. I couldn't leave it… he had to take it from me."

"Rose, what did you just do?" The Doctor asked quietly, his voice quavering as he tried and failed to keep calm.

"I saw everything. The Daleks, The TARDIS, you, him, The Vortex…," she stared at him in wonder, "The Kiss."

The Doctor closed his eyes, praying he hadn't just heard what he thought he had. He turned away and sank to the ground again, his already ruffled hair flying around softly as the wind carried from the make-shift sea increased. He could feel Rose's tear-filled eyes burning into the back of his head, but couldn't bring himself to look at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"You kissed me. Of all the things you could have done instead… you kissed me."

"I told you. It would have destroyed you. I couldn't just stand there and let it consume you."

"But why not a hug or- I don't know- linking hands or touching palms or something?"

The Doctor sighed.

"I don't know. It just happened, seemed instinctive at the time. I never intended to do it… it just happened."

"Why couldn't you tell me?"

"Rose… look, it was… I only… please, we've been through so much together! I would have done the same thing for any of my companions," he said firmly, but that was a lie. She could tell he wasn't being totally honest with her. She waited for him to admit it, but he fell silent again.

"No," she muttered.

"Yes."

"No, you wouldn't. I know you wouldn't, because I know what you're feeling."

"You know _nothing_ about it, Rose!" he cried suddenly, turning and glaring at her. She stared resolutely back, the tears shining delicately against her moonlit skin, but no longer falling from her eyes.

"Yes I do. I saw it. All the pain, the suffering, the hunger for a family and the feeling of belonging. And I saw what it is that you feel for me. I just don't understand why you can't see it for yourself."

"Coward or Killer," he mumbled unexpectedly. "That was all it came down to in the end. I finished it, you know. The only manufactured piece of technology that was capable of destroying the entire Dalek fleet. But when it came to using it… I couldn't sacrifice all those innocent lives. I couldn't make myself end a lifetime of suffering. I couldn't avenge my people. You did it.

"The way you emerged… well, I thought I'd died. I thought it'd finally finished. Angels, I thought. Soft, golden, beautiful, powerful, intense… everything. But it wasn't. It was you. The look in your eyes… it was scary. Such raw energy… but it wasn't just you. I saw a part of me in there, too. There was this strange look, and it was my link with the TARDIS. She was with you.

"Those words have been haunting me ever since." He shivered slightly even though the evening air was warmer than imaginable. He couldn't make himself say them, but she seemed to know what it was he was talking about.

_I want you safe… My Doctor…_

"When you said it, it was you. It wasn't her, well, not really. I suppose she probably felt like saying that too, but it was you. I guess things really hit home, then. Please, that kiss, it wasn't supposed to happen. I'm not supposed to feel things like that. I can't… I shouldn't…"

"But you did. Why do you have to deny it?"

"Because there's no guarantee the feeling's mutual. How could I just turn to you and say, 'sorry, hope you don't mind but I love you more than life itself'? I cared too much about your happiness, our friendship. It would have changed _everything_. I thought, maybe if I ignored it, the feeling would go away and we could go back to how we were before. Adventures and excitement and friendship. But things just escalated beyond all proportion. Your human. I'm not. I tried telling myself it wouldn't work.

"When I first met you, there was something about you. I told myself you'd be another companion, special in your own way like they all were. All are, actually. But you were more than that. I couldn't understand. But seeing you there, glowing immortally, prepared to sacrifice your own life to save mine… something just clicked. I love you, Rose," he sighed.

Rose sat stunned, staring at him with wide eyes. Without warning, completely forgetting everything she had just seen and needed to talk about, she threw herself at him, her eyes blazing, knocking him backwards onto the ground.

Before he knew what was happening, her lips were on his. He could feel the sweet softness of her skin grazing his cheeks, see her eyes fluttering below their lids, taste her sugary scent within his mouth. He was too stunned to react. He felt her recoil a little, wondering if she'd just made a huge mistake. She raised her head and stared at him, sympathy and sorrow blossoming in her beautiful eyes. She smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, blinking back tears. "Look, maybe we should think about joining Ron and Hermione." She raised herself and turned to reach for her jacket, pulling it across towards her. "Maybe there's a few books in the Library that could -"

He cut her off, suddenly understanding what it was that had just happened. She was silenced as he leaned forwards and captured her lips with his. He felt her smile against his mouth and his hearts soared.

Time seemed to stand still around them; everything froze as the kiss became more passionate. Long since buried sparks burst into flames as his entire existence crashed in around him. His head was spinning painfully. Everything was spiralling out of his control. This was wrong. They couldn't do this. But the more he thought about it, the more he longed for her.

His Rose.

He vaguely felt her hands tangled within his now sand-covered hair, exploring of their own accord, and somehow noticed his own arms wrapped tightly around her back with no memory of placing them there.

The sudden outburst of chills cascading down his spine had his soul screaming with pleasure. His doubts and worries vanished into nothingness as she began attacking his mouth with unnatural ferocity, tongues coming into play. While one of her hands was still tugging gently at his hair, the other was skirting softly across his stomach where his shirt had ridden up as she had fallen with him, sending uncontrollable shivers through his body. His own were tracing her neck, his fingers curling around stray strands of gold that had fallen around her, framing her face beautifully.

Much to his undisguised disappointment, she drew away, gasping for breath. He sighed and smiled up at her, his eyes lingering on her lips as she licked at them temptingly.

"Wow," she murmured. "I'd never have guessed you were such a professional."

"Doubt it. Haven't done that in a while," he replied, interlocking her fingers with his. She nibbled at her bottom lip slightly and fell against him, hugging him. He stroked at her hair, absent-mindedly.

"Talk to me," she whispered, her breath warm against his ear, sending pleasurable shivers rocking his spine again. "What happened?"

"You saw it for yourself," he muttered, turning away.

"Only flashes. I saw him… you… staring at me, and me talking to the Daleks. I saw the dust, and the silence. I saw the kiss."

"Well that's all that happened. You linked with the TARDIS. Bad Wolf. All you need to know is that you saved everything. You saved life. You saved me," he added, quietly.

"But why couldn't you tell me sooner?"

"Well, I didn't tell you about regeneration because I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. It didn't seem necessary, and thinking about it, when would I have had the chance to tell you, anyway? We've been more than busy, lately. And I couldn't tell you about what happened because… Well, I just couldn't. You didn't remember anything, so I couldn't tell you."

"I still can't believe you kissed me," she said as she nuzzled her head below his chin, his double beats echoing slightly around her in a comforting way.

"I'm sorry, about that, Rose. I really didn't plan it. But I wasn't about to let you die for me if there was a way of saving you. I just didn't think through my options before jumping in."

"You actually _died_ for me," she whispered, suddenly. "How many people say they'd die for those they love... and you actually did."

"You know I'd die for you. Hell, I'd die for your mother if I had to," he smiled. "Just don't make me test that resolve, because I really don't want to die again for a _long_ time. I'm running out of lives."

"How many have you got left?"

"Erm, three regenerations I think. We only get thirteen… or is it twelve plus our first? I can't remember. Things are becoming hazy about my people, these days. It's almost as if someone's draining their existence from everything, trying to rid time of any mention of them. Even I can't recall everything I used to know. I don't want to forget them but I'm remembering less every day."

"Maybe it's something to do with what's going on here."

"Hmm. Maybe... And what have you just nicked from my pocket, Rose Tyler?" he asked suspiciously as Rose sat up and grabbed her jacket. She turned to him and threw it at his head, grinning evilly.

"Nothing," she sang, running towards the water's edge, pulling up her jeans slightly before throwing herself cautiously into the sea, giggling. He sighed, threw her jacket onto the ground again, and ran at her, reaching for the hand she was trying to conceal behind her back.

"What have you got?" he asked, smiling.

"A pair of your newest accessories," she smiled, throwing her hands over her head and stretching her arm out of his reach. He grabbed her around the middle and she shrieked, laughing.

"No, Doctor! Don't do that! Doctor, let me down this instant!" she cried. She stopped suddenly, and began shaking her head furiously. "No, on second thought, don't. No! Doctor!" but she was too late. He threw her backwards and she landed with a splash, her clothes drenched. He was laughing amiably, a mad glint sparkling within his wide eyes as she clambered to her feet, glaring at him.

"So, you want to play like that, then, do you?" And she began kicking and splashing out at him, drowning him in sea-spray. He backed away, still laughing, but tripped as his feet caught a small rock below the surface. Rose burst into fits of hysterical laughter and jumped on top of him, sending them both under.

His fingers suddenly caught hers, and the small leg that was poking out was quickly pulled from her grasp. He smiled as she tried feebly to pull them back from him, but he wouldn't let go.

"I never realised you liked glasses, Rose," he smiled, cheekily.

"I never realised you wore glasses, Doctor," she grinned back. "Or is this a new thing?"

"Well, I found I needed them when I was watching that report on Harriet Jones back at your mum's flat. Haven't used them since, like, must just be for television."

"Well, let me see, then! Get them on!"

The Doctor sighed and separated the rather thick legs, sliding them onto his now sodden nose, wiping salt from his eyes as he did so. Rose tried to arrange her face into a straight and uncaring line as she waited, but the corners of her mouth twitched, spoiling the affect. She blinked as he lowered his hands, and felt her jaw drop.

"Is that supposed to be a good reaction, or not?" The Doctor asked apprehensively as she stared at him, her mouth wide open. He moved to take them off but she grabbed his hand and held it, still staring.

"Getting a hint of 'liking' here," he grinned. Rose cleared her throat and smiled.

"Yeah, they suit you," she said, trying to sound indifferent. Internally, she was screaming at herself about how good she felt he looked in glasses. He was right, she'd never shown any fondness towards them. She'd hated wearing them herself at school. But now… well, she couldn't think of a word strong enough to express how good he looked in them. He grinned cheekily, apparently seeing straight through her visage and reading the thoughts she was trying to keep hidden.

"On or off?" he whispered, lifting them from his nose as he said 'off'. Rose felt her eyes widen as he replaced them gently, hands sliding a little on one of the legs.

"Well… I suppose it depends entirely on the circumstances of the 'taking off'." She shuffled forwards through the water and lifted them from his nose herself. "In this case, then definitely off," she murmured as she leaned in to kiss him once more. He smiled evilly and welcomed her, tugging his glasses from her hands and replacing them into his coat pocket again. He cupped her chin softly, pulling her closer…

"Doctor!" Rose and The Doctor jumped and turned, gazing out towards the beach once more. Ginny was standing on the shore's edge, a look of utmost terror upon her young face. She ran in towards them, disregarding the warm water licking softly at her ankles, and halted beside them. The Doctor pulled Rose to her feet and they both stared at Ginny.

"What is it, Gin?" Rose asked.

"He's attacked," she replied frantically. "Voldemort's attacked Hogwarts! Death Eaters ambushed Harry and the other Order Members about twenty minutes ago. They're here, now! They've attacked Hogwarts… they've attacked Harry!

* * *

**I was beginning to feel this story was getting slower and slower by the chapter, but it's finally reached the action, now. Sorry, but I fancied a bit of a cliff hanger, so there you are… Don't hurt me! I'll update soon, I hope!…**

**Oh, and I think I should apologise for the mushiness, too. I've never had the pleasure of experiencing anything like that, so it's all purely invented. Sorry if it's wrong, or anything.**

**I want to thank all of my wonderful reviewers! Huge hugs and kisses to you all! Hope you liked it! Please Review!**


	12. Nothing New, but Still a Complication

**Too Close For Comfort, Doctor  
by****xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**

**

* * *

**

**Nothing New, but Still a Complication**

Hogwarts Castle was in turmoil. Loud bangs and crashes echoed up towards them from the lower levels, as Rose and The Doctor, now fully clothed and alert, followed Ginny through the endless maze of corridors and hallways crowded by terrified students. Even the many shortcuts behind hidden tapestries and doors did little to speed them along.

None of them spoke.

As they neared the Entrance Hall, a heart-stopping crash rocking the entire frame-work of the building harder than an earthquake, The Doctor suddenly stopped.

"Wait!" he called quickly. Both Rose and Ginny turned to him, staring in desperation.

"Rose, how are you supposed to fight them? We don't have wands, we can't do magic!"

Rose bit her lip and turned to Ginny.

"Where's Harry now?" she asked.

"Still fighting in there, I think," Ginny replied hurriedly.

"I thought you said he was injured!"

"He is! There was blood everywhere, but he's still fighting."

Rose turned to The Doctor. He smiled slightly at the sheer determination. Her face was glowing with it. She nodded once, and he understood what she was saying perfectly. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice slightly.

"Right, here's what we do. Ginny, you go in first and help out. We heard you're an excellent fighter, so they need your help! They don't know who we are, yet, and I think it's probably best we keep it that way. No point in drawing attention to ourselves. I've got the Sonic Screwdriver, and there's a pretty powerful setting on there… they might be wizards, but they're still human. Rose, you stick close behind me and I'll clear a path to Harry. You'll have to get him away quickly, though. I don't want you hanging around, alright?"

"But what if the Order attacks us?" Rose asked, quickly. The Doctor frowned but Ginny spoke up first.

"It's alright; McGonagall told them there were a few unregistered guests at The Castle. You're not wearing Death Eater Outfits, so they won't attack you."

"Ok, good. Right, let's get in there, then."

Ginny and Rose nodded in agreement and ran through another door into the Entrance Hall. They were standing atop the large Marble Staircase, staring down over a huge banister at the commotion below. There must have been at least fifty people crammed into the hall.

The Doctor quickly scanned the room and spotted Harry just behind the oak doors. He was bleeding profusely from a large gash in his side, but it didn't appear to be fazing him. He was still standing proud, wand raised and almost steady in front of him. A mysterious fluttering was growing around him, whistling picking up, almost the rustling of wind. The Doctor watched in wonder as a bright red beam emerged from his wand and launched itself into a crowd of cloaked people, most of which had been cornered and were beginning to be grouped into the centre of the hall. One stumbled and fell forwards, illuminated by the red light, immobile.

Wild lights were flying around the room, each of multiple colours, and each having a different effect on the person it hit. Teachers, Order members, Death Eaters and even students were shooting wherever they could, seemingly regardless of who their spells met with. A vibrant looking green streak whizzed dangerously close past Rose, and she screamed and ducked out of the way, clinging to the banister.

"If you have to get hit by anything, make sure it isn't green!" Ginny called desperately, as a white streak swept across her head, causing her hair to flutter into her face. She pushed it away absently, pulling out her wand and shooting a random spell at one of the masked men who had spotted their newest company. He was quickly halted. The Doctor turned to Rose, who nodded encouragingly and moved to crouch behind him as he prepared to enter the fray.

Ginny charged down the stairs, spell after spell leaving her wand and attacking the mass of black. The Doctor followed, the customary blue light blazing at the end of his sonic screwdriver, Rose closer than was possibly wise. One of the hooded men noticed him and turned his wand onto The Doctor, but he was too quick. A low whirring echoed numbly throughout the Hall, and the Death Eater dropped to the floor, dead. Rose glanced hurriedly at The Doctor and spotted the fire blazing within his usually indecipherable eyes.

What was it that the Daleks had called him? The Oncoming Storm. Well, he was certainly living up to that reputation, now. He looked lethal.

Two young men moved across and stood themselves back to back with The Doctor, encircling Rose and shielding her from view. She let out a vehement gasp, but a nagging thought silently counted her now increased chance of survival, and shut her up. The Doctor glanced at them questioningly, and they smiled identical smiles. Twins. He took in their wild red hair and freckles, and grinned.

"Related to Ron, by any chance?"

"Oh, so you've met our youngest brother, then?" one replied, pointing his wand absently at an advancing Death Eater.

"Fighting over there, I believe," said the other, nodding towards Harry. The Doctor saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny standing beside him, surrounded by Death Eaters. He smiled as he watched their apparently soundless connection. They were helping each other without any knowledge of it, attacking those who were attacking them. A blue streak narrowly missed Hermione's head, only to be immediately deflected by Ron into an advancing Death Eater. A connection to be envied. They worked flawlessly with each other. Four friends. Connected in ways unexplainable, even to a nine-hundred year old Time Lord. Almost like clockwork.

"Yeah, we need to get over there," Rose called to her guards, pulling The Doctor back to the situation at hand just in time to deflect a white beam directed at his heart. The red-headed Weasley brother on her left glanced at her, eyeing her briefly, while his twin sent a spell ricocheting from one of the walls into four Death Eaters. She smiled faintly, and he beamed back.

"Not a problem, your Ladyship," he called back airily, steeping into a small mock-bow. That might have been to avoid the flash of blue that shot over his head and hit the staircase behind them, but she grinned anyway.

They began to clear a path through the carnage, Rose keeping her head as low as possible while her entourage attacked with indifferent ferocity. But a loud bang and a series of long swishes from amidst the sea of black had them halting in their tracks. Four flashes of orange hit Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny respectively, and the four fell to the ground, motionless. There was a triumphant yell, and a loud Crack that Rose recognised as somebody disapparating. The remaining Death Eaters ceased their fires, and turned on their heels, disappearing with a swish of their cloaks.

Everyone lowered their wands, letting out sighs and gasps. The twins and three other male red-heads ran towards Ron and Ginny, dropping to their knees beside them. The pale man Rose had met briefly earlier, along with McGonagall and a witch with pink hair stopped beside Harry and Hermione.

"What did they do to them?" The pink-haired woman asked, quietly.

"I don't know, but they're not dead," the man replied as he checked Hermione's pulse.

The Doctor hurried forwards, kneeling down beside Harry. Rose approached cautiously, her heart beating dangerously hard against her chest as watchful eyes followed her movements. She watched nervously as The Doctor reached forwards, grazing his hand across Harry's cheek.

"Cold," he muttered. "What on Earth –?"

"I thought you said they weren't dead!" McGonagall cried, almost hysterically.

"No, they're not," The Doctor sighed. "Freezing to the touch, but they're still breathing. Have you not seen this before? It was a spell, after all."

"No, no spell we've seen or performed has ever done anything like that. It must be something new. So -"

"- Voldemort's been experimenting, then," the pale young man finished. There was a collective shudder, and Rose felt the atmosphere tense instantly.

The Doctor wasn't listening. He was examining all of them now, checking everything he could with the minimum of movement. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver again, and watched with narrowed eyes as it glided over Ginny's immobile body.

"I wonder…" and he began to adjust the settings. The whirring sound increased, and the onlookers gasped in shock as Ginny twitched slightly, before falling limp again.

"Hypnosis," he sighed as he pulled himself to his feet. "Nothing but an intense state of slumber. Their minds have just switched off completely. Unfortunately, that's humanly impossible… unless someone has forced them to do it."

"You mean… they're just sleeping?" Rose muttered, studying Harry. The Doctor nodded.

"Not by choice, but yes." He began pacing, wild thoughts chasing themselves around his head. "And I only know one magician powerful enough to impose such a trance-like state upon four fired-up wizards. The trouble being… I thought he was dead."

"This wouldn't turn out to be another conspiracy-loving, evil genius bent on overthrowing the universe and destroying you, would it?" Rose asked, trying to sound more annoyed than apprehensive.

"Well… he was _the ultimate_ in irritating enemies, yes. The bane of my existence. Oh, and a Time Lord to boot, so he had all of the tricks that I possess along with a few of his own. In short... yes, Rose. He _was_ an evil genius whose life's ambition was to dominate everywhere and dispose of me. Nothing new, but still a complication."

"Nothing new?" one of the twins asked, eyes wide. "What, does this sort of stuff happen a lot with you two?"

"You couldn't even _begin_ to imagine the things we've been through," Rose smiled. "So who are you, then?"

"George Weasley, your Highness," and he bowed as his twin had minutes before. The sudden lift in spirits had Rose grinning. These two were clearly well-loved comics if they could impose smiles in such a disturbing situation. "This is Fred, Bill, Charlie and our dad, Arthur Weasley," he added, pointing his family members out as he spoke. "And this is Remus Lupin and his girl-friend, Nymphadora Tonks. We call her Tonks, though."

"Hi," she smiled. "Rose Tyler. Nice to meet you."

"Wotcha, Rose! Nice of you to drop in. Sorry about the mess, we haven't managed to clean up one particularly stubborn lump of dirt. It's been hanging onto our broom for the past eighteen years."

"Dragging on a bit is he?" Rose smiled back. "He must be bad."

"Nightmare, honestly," Lupin muttered, shaking his head and stepping forwards to shake her hand in welcome. "Do you intend to… ah… hang around here?"

"Yes, I think so. We can't leave yet, anyway. Our transport's encountering a few 'technical difficulties', and not even The Doctor can repair them this time."

"Well, I must say I'm rather relieved. The more we have working alongside us, the sooner this ends." He smiled faintly, and his pale complexion became more noticeable. Rose watched him in concern.

"Er, are you alright? You don't look all too good." Lupin nodded grimly and moved over to Tonks, grabbing her hand distractedly.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just not feeling all myself at the moment. Don't worry, it's a normal thing for me," he assured her as she raised her eyebrows slightly. Tonks watched Lupin sympathetically, and Rose fell silent, quelling her curiosity as best she could. She turned to The Doctor, but couldn't miss the wide smiles adawning both Fred and George's faces. She stared at them in suspicion.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing!" one of them smiled.

"We just wondered if the skies were missing something -"

"-Because the Sun seems to be shining inside this Castle." Rose felt herself blush scarlet as they stepped forwards, each kissing her hand lightly. She remained silent, unable to think of anything to say. She glanced hurriedly at The Doctor, who was staring at Ron. She could tell he'd tensed, though. He was holding himself a lot straighter than usual, and his face seemed to have misplaced its' usual joviality. He remained silent, not looking at her, even though he could feel her watching him.

"Now, boys, keep yourselves focused, please," Arthur Weasley called suddenly. "Your mother would do her nut if she found you distracted, especially these days."

"An angel, surely... your voice is like the chorus of a thousand -."

The Doctor cleared his throat and dropped down beside Harry again.

"I don't wish to intrude upon your heart-felt welcomings, but I'm thinking that lying on a cold stone floor isn't going to do this lot any good."

Immediately, the group huddled around them and reached ahead, wands pointing at their sleeping company. The twins smiled at Rose and stepped forwards, moving to help the adults. The Doctor glanced at Rose quickly before turning away. Rose felt her breath catch in her throat as she noticed the emotions burning within his eyes, emotions she knew he'd been trying to hide from her. Had that been jealousy? She felt flustered, her face burning, but she composed herself quickly and coughed slightly, grabbing their attention again.

"Erm, I don't want to sound… traditional, but could you not leave out on the magic stuff for a few minutes? Only I'm beginning to forget that you lot are actually humans. It's like I'm on another planet, and I don't want Earth to become another conquest for me."

Rose was suddenly swamped by raised eyebrows.

"Time-travellers," she added simply. "So, would you mind carrying them instead of sending them flying?"

* * *

Ten minutes later, Rose and The Doctor were sitting in chairs beside four occupied beds in The Hospital Wing. The Order members had left to alert others and set up precautions, checking and double checking everything they could at every possible moment.

Rose sighed, her feet swaying gently as she rocked backwards and forwards on her chair.

"We've only been here a day and I've already seen more of this room than I wanted to."

The Doctor said nothing, watching Hermione's even breathing. He'd been strangely quiet since his last request in The Entrance Hall. Rose knew she should have felt a little guilty about that, but she was silently overjoyed, and couldn't bring herself to admit that his jealousy was a bad thing. It just proved his love for her, and she believed him more now than she ever had. He was definately still the same Doctor. She desperately wanted to talk about it, but she couldn't. Instead, she drew her mind to more urgent matters. Namely, four unconscious teenagers. Rose paused, daring herself to ask. Before she could think of a positive argument not to, her curiosity got the better of her.

"So tell me, Doctor. Who is it that you think's doing all this?"

The Doctor turned to her, frowning. He was silent for a moment.

"He liked to be called 'The Master'. I can't see why, but that was his title."

"A Time Lord called 'The Master' and another called 'The Doctor'. Do Gallifreyan parents not know how to name their children?"

"It won't work, Rose," he practically sang, smiling at her incapability of dropping a subject until it was answered. "I'm not going to tell you my name!"

"But _why not_? Surely it can't be _that_ bad!" she responded indignantly. He simply shook his head once, his lips tight shut. "Fine, but I'll make you tell me sooner or later. It just depends on how... _painful_... you want it to be."

"You know, 'Blackmail' is a terrible word."

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" she smiled. He grinned, shaking his head slightly, and returned to watching Hermione. Something on her arm caught his eye, and he stood up and moved towards her, reaching out.

"What is it?"

"Markings," he replied, quietly. "Words, I think." He groped for her sleeve and pulled it upwards, revealing two words written in black ink upon her white skin.

_Nocens lupus_

He stared at them, eyes wide. Rose watched as he tensed, wondering what it was about two short words that had upset him.

"I'm guessing that whatever they mean is a bad thing," she muttered, staring at them herself. Her eyes lingered on the second word, as her brain tried to catch up with her imagination. "Hold on. That word, 'lupus'… it means wolf, doesn't it? Isn't it Latin for wolf?"

The Doctor seemed too stunned to speak. Rose felt her heart freeze. She swallowed hard, dreading his conformation. He nodded numbly, and a shiver ran dangerously down her spine.

"It's happening again," she whispered. "It's Bad Wolf all over again… But I thought we solved it? It was my way of getting back to you! How can it be happening again now?"

"This is a different Time-Line, Rose," he replied, his voice almost inaudible. "Things happening in our world might not have happened in this. Unless something knew we'd end up here. I'm beginning to doubt if we are here by accident. The longer we hang around, the more likely it seems that we've been brought into this war. But how can it be Bad Wolf again? It was that one battle, and that's got nothing to do with this... I'm not going to let it happen again…" and Rose watched as he slumped forwards, his head in his hands.

Rose remained silent. After her vision that afternoon, she didn't need to ask what he was talking about. She already knew. She was Bad Wolf. He didn't want to go through seeing her so close to destruction again. At one time in her past, she might have wondered if he had meant he wouldn't let it happen to avoid regenerating again, but she knew him better now. He would willingly die himself to keep her safe. She wasn't going to let that happen, either.

Rose sighed, twirling a stray lock of hair around her finger as she stared beyond the room, trying to think of something to say.

"Maybe… maybe it's just a coincidence," she tried, her excuse sounding more feeble as she said it than it had when she'd thought it. "Maybe Hermione just wrote it as a reminder. Maybe it's nothing to do with Bad Wolf at all."

"Maybe…" but he didn't look convinced. He was watching her now, his face pale and his eyes full of worry and concern. She smiled weakly.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to be doing anything like that any time soon. I couldn't anyway. We don't have the TARDIS."

She walked towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist and holding him close. After a moment, he hugged her back, sighing into her hair.

"You just promise me you'll look after yourself," he said softly, stroking her hair gently, his eyes closed against the injustice of everything, as his mind envisioned another situation in which his Rose dissolved into Golden Light...

"Promise," she replied. She gasped suddenly and pulled away as though she'd received an electric shock. He stared at her, eyebrows furrowed, as she glared at one of the many pockets he possessed these days.

"What's that in your trouser pocket?" she asked quietly, walking cautiously forwards.

"I didn't think I had anything in my pockets," he replied, automatically lowering his hand towards the offending pocket. "Why?"

"Don't touch it, something's hot!" she cried, stepping forwards, but she was too late. He'd already reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny key. He dropped it instantly, his fingers blistering.

"Jesus!" he cried, his face scrunched against the throbbing pain, cradling his hand. Rose snorted, but her attention fell upon the now glowing key on the floor. _Glowing?_

"Erm, Doctor? The TARDIS Key's glowing again." She spoke calmly, staring at it. She'd seen the key like that once before, the day her dad had died.

The Doctor glanced down, and his eyes widened as he saw it. A tremendous smile graced his features and he quickly forgot about his injury, stooping down and stretching the sleeve of his coat enough to allow him to pick it up.

"Fantastic!" he whispered.

"So the TARDIS is alright, then?" Rose asked breathlessly. He nodded, and she breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Thank God! Well let's go check, then!" and she bolted for the door.

"Hold on! What about Harry and the others?" Rose stopped and turned, staring guiltily at the four beds. She sighed.

"Is there nothing you can do for them?" she asked quietly. The Doctor opened his mouth to answer, his head already halfway through it's shaking motion, but he shut it and stopped his movement before he had spoken a word, a look of utmost concentration washing over his face as he watched Ron.

Without speaking, he hurried to Harry's bed and pulled out his sonic screwdriver again. The strange whirring and blue light bounced around within The Hospital Wing. Rose watched with bated breath. The Doctor muttered something, and stopped what he was doing. Still without uttering a word to Rose, he replaced his sonic screwdriver into one of his coat pockets and snapped his fingers once.

Harry's eyes ripped open. He gasped and tumbled sideways from the bed with a strangled yell. The Doctor beamed and moved over to Ron in the next bed. A moment later, Ron was lying sprawled on the floor, groaning as he picked himself up and rubbed his head. An indignant screech announced Ginny's return to reality, and finally Hermione's.

"What the Hell's going on?" she asked, unable to keep the quaver from her voice. She sat up with a little more grace than her companions had and slid from her bed, backing herself against the wall, reaching for her wand as her back hit the stone. "Who are you? Where are we? What's going on? I swear I'll hurt you if you don't start talking!"

"Hermione, it's us!" The Doctor called hurriedly, raising his hands. Hermione blinked, shaking her head slightly. "Relax. You're in The Hospital Wing." Hermione lowered her wand and blinked again. She heard a low groan and spotted Harry, slumped on the floor in front of her.

"Oh my God!" she cried as she darted forwards and helped him up.

"Oh, my head," Harry muttered as he stumbled clumsily to his feet and leant against Hermione, rubbing his head vigorously. Ron was pulling Ginny into a standing position two beds down. "It feels like someone's been bashing it with a ten foot barge pole." He glanced around nervously and spotted Rose. "They haven't, have they?" he asked, anxiously. She smiled weakly and shook her head.

"Nope!"

"Of course not," he muttered. "That would be the easy answer, wouldn't it?" He paused, and turned to The Doctor, who was smiling. "So what happened? Last I knew we were in The Entrance Hall." He straightened up immediately and pulled out his wand, tense and ready. "Where are they? Did you get them?"

"No, they left, right after someone attacked you," The Doctor replied, the grin wavering slightly. "Someone hit you lot, laughed, and disappeared. The rest followed."

"Oh, he's going to be _unbearable_ next time, Harry," Ron muttered, vaguely checking his sister, despite her constant hissing. "He's finally got one over on you."

"After that trick, he isn't going to have the chance to gloat about it," Harry replied darkly.

"How's your side?" Rose asked in concern. "It looked painful from where we were standing."

Harry glanced down, and gasped, clutching at his waist.

"Painful," he mumbled, gritting his teeth. The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver again and adjusted a setting with a small click. He walked up to Harry and knelt down in front of him, pointing the blue light at the large wound. Harry backed away.

"Wait a minute! What are you doing?"

"Fixing you up," The Doctor replied, a rather insane looking grin lingering across his face. Rose giggled as Harry stared at him in shock.

"Don't worry, Harry. He's a Doctor. He knows what he's doing… most of the time," she added, shrugging her shoulders. Harry glared at her but said nothing, backing away as far as he could without knocking over Hermione. Ron and Ginny were grinning, too. Harry shot them a venomous look and continued to retreat.

"What's the matter? Scared of the doctor?" The Doctor asked innocently. Harry shook his head.

"No. Scared of the thing in his hand," he shot back. The Doctor smirked and waved the sonic screwdriver in the air. "You've killed people with that thing!"

"Yep. Believe me, it won't hurt a bit." Harry paused, glancing at Ron, Hermione and Ginny, who had identical glints within their eyes, and wide smiles dawning their faces. He glared poison at them before stepping anxiously forwards towards The Doctor. He grinned up at Harry and resumed the strange buzzing. Harry closed his eyes waiting for something to hurt, but nothing but a peculiar tingling interrupted his internal cries of horror. The whirring sound stopped, and he opened his eyes, bracing himself for the worst.

He looked down and felt his jaw drop. The skin was completely repaired, not a scar, not a bruise. He looked up at The Doctor, who was grinning in an 'I told you so' way. Ron, Hermione and Ginny all burst out laughing, and Harry rightly dropped his gaze, feeling slightly ashamed of himself.

"Don't worry, Harry," Rose smiled, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'd have been nervous if it was me, too. I've seen a lot more of what that thing can do that you have, and when it's The Doctor who's holding it, I'd feel even less confident about it."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," The Doctor called from the doorway. Five heads turned in his direction and stared as he walked through the open door. They shared a glance, until Rose suddenly realised where he was going and ran after him.

"Hey! Doctor! Wait!"

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny stared at each other, shrugged, and charged after them.

* * *

Barely two minutes later, they'd skidded to a halt beside the strange Blue Box on the outskirts of The Forbidden Forest. The Doctor turned and stared as they stopped behind him, their faces flushed and gasping for breath. Ginny was clutching at a stitch in her side.

"Has anyone got a glove or a bit of fabric, or something?" he asked quickly. Hermione pulled out a small cloth from her jeans pocket and handed it over, panting. He took it and reached into his own pocket, wrapping the cloth around his hand. He pulled out the key again and shoved it roughly into the keyhole, holding his breath. Rose inhaled sharply, closing her eyes in hope. Harry and Ron shared a look before turning back to watch.

The key turned with a click, and The Doctor pushed the door open. He laughed with delight, and bounded into his ship, hugging the console as though they'd been apart for years. Rose let out a thankful 'Yes!' and ran in after him, leaving four teenage wizards staring in awe through the doors, jaws hitting the floor and eyes wider than dishes.

"Right," The Doctor called firmly after he'd grabbed his bearings, "do we need to be at that meeting or can we leave?"

Harry stepped through the doors, gazing around entranced.

"It's huge on the inside… but it's a police box on the outside," and he stepped out again, staring at the small wooden box. "And you did this without magic?" he called through.

"Yes," The Doctor smiled. "I'm guessing you could probably do something like this with magic, though." Harry nodded, but couldn't tear his eyes from everything within the blue police box. Hermione was even worse. She was circling the console, muttering and pointing, her hands gliding across switches as she past them.

"This technology… it's unimaginable… it's so _alien_!" The Doctor's smile widened, and Rose laughed.

"They're not as bad as you were, Rose!" he called. It seemed to pull them from their musings and they snapped their attention back to The Doctor. Rose beamed at them. He sighed.

"I wonder why we can use it again. I thought electricity didn't work around here."

"It doesn't," Hermione muttered vaguely, still examining everything. "But maybe someone's made an exception for you."

The Doctor stared at her, watching her thoughtfully.

"Like who?"

"Like whoever brought you here in the first place," was the response he received. He watched her questioningly, but she seemed too engrossed in his equipment to notice. He turned to Ron instead.

"Never expect a straight answer from Hermione Granger," Ron muttered so that only The Doctor could hear. Rose stepped forwards and the teenagers turned to her, smiling.

"Impressive, yes?"

"Completely amazing!" Ron cried.

"_Unbelievable_!" Ginny whispered in amazement.

"What did you ask before?" Harry asked suddenly, "Can we leave?"

The Doctor nodded. Harry paused, thinking. "Well, I suppose we can. The meeting's probably been cancelled now, anyway, after that attack. Why?"

The Doctor remained silent, considering how best to phrase his next move.

"Well, we heard you're intending on making a journey, and I could take you there if you want."

Harry stared at him, considering his face with those unfathomably green eyes. The Doctor returned the gaze, never blinking, willing Harry to see whatever it was he was searching for. Harry blinked and turned away, looking at Ron and Hermione.

"What do you think?"

"The sooner we go, the sooner we get back," Hermione said. Her face was pale but determined, and Ron nodded his agreement as he stood beside her and reached for her hand. They both turned to Ginny, who was watching the trio in silence. Harry, Rose and The Doctor stared at her too.

"Well, tell me then," she muttered in a resigned voice, watching Harry. "Tell me to go, because I will." Harry held her gaze, thinking. The Doctor was internally screaming his opinion that she should be allowed to travel with them, but he didn't dare speak it out loud. Harry glanced at him, as though he had heard what The Doctor was thinking. The Doctor nodded once, his eyes wide and staring. Harry sighed.

"It looks like you're coming, Gin," he said, softly. "But only on one condition," he added as she squealed with delight and threw herself at him. She straightened up, her smile faltering slightly. "Look after yourself."

Ginny beamed and nodded.

"Thanks, Harry," she whispered, hugging him.

The Doctor clapped his hands briskly.

"Right, do you need anything? Should you not tell someone where you're going?" he asked. Harry grinned ingenuously.

"I think they know us well enough, by now," he replied mischievously. "McGonagall knew where we were planning on going, but she had to arrange transport. Can you not just leave a message stapled to a tree, or something?"

Hermione suddenly raised her wand and scribbled words in mid-air.

_Made the journey. Will return soon with answers. Watch over things here. Golden Trio._

Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Golden Trio?" she laughed. "I highly doubt you three were _ever_ innocent!"

"Oh, we had our moments," Hermione replied airily. She waved her wand once more, and the words floated out through the open door and up towards the castle. With that, she ran to the doors and pulled them shut.

The Doctor grinned at them, the light of adventure sparkling in his eyes.

"To The Underworld!"

* * *

**Cheers again! Much love to y'all readers! Reviews are yummy …**

**Blessed Be,**

**xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	13. Stowaways

**Reviews! Thanks again to Amiphist and Rosetylerrox!**

**LittleGinny15: **There you go. Bad Wolf! I thought you'd be pleased ;). And there is a link, but it's going to take them a little while to find it. I think you'll like it when it comes around… that's all I'm saying for now. Please, please, please keep reviewing! I smile every time I see your name, and don't ever lose your enthusiasm! It's priceless! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

**Lesslyn: **I agree, I've written better. But I couldn't find a way of improving it because it answered too much… well, about as much as it raised, anyway. And the key? It will all be answered after this visit. Our heroes are going to meet someone else, someone who's got _all_ of the answers. That should be fun. Oh, and 'they' will. I really loved writing Fred and George, so I'm not letting them off so lightly. Thanks again!

**Underworld! Thanks everyone! I've received so many wonderful reviews, and I want to thank all of you! They really mean a lot! And Sorry about the delay. I've been busy. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

**Stowaways**

The Doctor strode across to the Console, his fingers lingering temptingly on a large, red button, before he moved around to the TARDIS screen. He started entering a location, searching for a suitable landing spot, before grabbing a large, protruding lever and tugging on it. The central column began sliding up as a loud whirring sound announced dematerialization. Four Hogwarts students stared in wonder as Rose and The Doctor braced themselves, clinging onto the console with both hands. The Doctor looked up, and spotted their blank faces.

"You, er, might want to hold onto something. It isn't going to be a smooth journey."

As one, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny moved across to the hand-rails just inside the doors, gripping onto them as tightly as they could.

The TARDIS gave a nasty lurch, and her occupants redoubled their grips upon whatever they had been able to reach in time.

Well, _almost_ all of her occupants.

There was a loud crash, and two identical cries of shock. Six heads looked up in surprise, staring at a point just behind the console, from where the noises had come from.

But there was nothing there.

The Doctor made to move across and inspect, but the TARDIS had other ideas. She shook violently, spinning through the Time Vortex at a most unwise speed, hurtling past decades and universes well in the past. He landed hard against the console, deciding it would be safer to wait until they had landed before investigating.

He couldn't ignore the cries of pain, though. None of them could. Ron pricked his ears, a large frown on his face as he heard two indignant screeches, and he gasped.

"What the Hell are you two doing here?" he called, cold fury etched into every line of his face. Everyone turned to him, staring in disbelief at his sudden remarkably eccentric outburst. Ron paid them no attention, as he watched the unoccupied area behind the console.

"Erm, Ron? Who're you talking to?" Harry asked, his voice dripping with concern.

"Three guesses, Harry," Ron called back, not lifting his eyes from the spot just behind Rose.

"Ron, there's no-one there! How could anyone possibly -?" but he gasped and let go of the railing, somehow steady on his feet despite the constant rocking and lurching. He made his way slowly forwards, ignoring everything and clinging onto rails as he continued towards the centre of the room, until he was standing just behind Rose, who was spending all of her efforts on keeping herself standing.

Harry extended a cautious hand, his other holding onto the console behind him, and everyone watched as it appeared to grasp something in mid air.

"Hi, guys," he said, grinning.

"Hi, Harry," came the somewhat disgruntled reply from nowhere, and everyone stared as whatever Harry had grabbed fell to the floor, accompanied by a loud thud. Seconds later, another thud broke the silence, followed by a soft 'Ouch!'.

"So is this your latest sweet, then?" Ginny asked, focusing on the floor beneath Harry's fingers. The Doctor turned, staring at all of his guests in turn, completely nonplussed.

"What the Hell's going on?" he asked, suspiciously. "Who're you on about, here?"

Ginny grinned mischievously, watching his expression with bright eyes.

"You have Stowaways, Doctor," she smiled. He stared at her, his eyes wide in surprise, then turned to Harry's feet. The blank space was strangely filled a second later, and he gasped, gazing intently at one of the twins he had met earlier. The twins' twin emerged from thin air behind him, chewing on something as he rubbed his back, trying to sit up but falling backwards with another lurch from the TARDIS.

There was a rather stunned silence, spinning horribly around the Control Room. Four teenage wizards and two Time Travellers stared at a pair of red-headed and red-faced twins, sprawled on the grille floor. No-one could think of anything to say.

The silence was quickly broken by a loud screeching sound, coming from the column itself. The Doctor blinked, closed his mouth quickly and turned his attention to his ship, pushing buttons hurriedly as they began to pick up speed.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked quickly, turning to the column and staring at it.

"Don't know," he muttered. "Hey, come on, old girl, what's the matter?" He ignored the many terrified glares he was receiving, feeling Rose could comfort them better than he could. She seemed too preoccupied, though, as she stared at the TARDIS screen.

"Er, Doctor? You might want to have a look at this," she called nervously. He twiddled a knob on the main dashboard, knocking a second lever in his haste, and the screeching stopped. They were spinning faster and faster through time, now, but he seemed happy enough. The violent shudders ceased, and he moved across, watching Rose curiously.

Rose pointed at the screen, and Harry watched with a faint feeling of trepidation as The Doctor raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"What is it?" he asked nervously.

The Doctor looked up and held his gaze. Harry felt his eyes begin to water, but didn't dare look away. The Doctor suddenly grinned, his eyes dancing with wonder.

"We've arrived," he said, simply.

A moment later, there was a thud, and everyone fell backwards, hitting the ground painfully. The whirring stopped, the column slowed and fell still, and the TARDIS lights flashed happily as her occupants pulled themselves to their feet, grumbling.

"Oh, we've arrived, have we? What makes you say that, then, Doctor?" Ginny asked sarcastically, rubbing at the back of her neck vigorously. The Doctor ignored her, turning to the twins.

"Never again," Ron mumbled, rubbing his wrist. "That was worse than Hagrids' Thestrals."

"Worse than what?" Rose asked in interest. Harry shook his head.

"Skeletal... bird-horse... things. They're only visible to those who've witnessed someone's death, and Ron, Hermione and Ginny had to ride on the back of them without being able to see what they were riding on."

Rose gaped at him briefly, shook her head when she realised what she was doing, and turned to The Doctor, who was staring intently at Fred and George, both of which looked unmistakably flustered. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all turned to the twins, too.

Rose suddenly grinned evilly. This was to be her first chance to witness just how serious her newest Doctor could be. That murderous look he'd had within his auburn eyes just after the destruction of the Sycorax' ship had fascinated her.

However, when she turned and saw The Doctor's face, she felt faintly disappointed. He looked almost indifferent, but curious. He was leaning against the TARDIS console, arms folded across his chest, watching them, a mad glint gleaming in his eyes as he stared them down. Not a word was spoken, but Fred and George both blinked and stared at the floor, fearing they had finally pushed their luck too far.

Silence.

"Now, I suppose the issues of stowaways should really be a big problem," he began, taking on the tone of one rather strict Head Master. Fred and George raised their heads suddenly, staring at him defiantly. They adopted an identical stance of indifference, shaken only by the glimmer of fear within their eyes. Ron was smirking widely, now.

"But before we get down to punishments," he continued, pushing himself from the console and beginning to encircle the twins. He stopped in front of Fred and paused. He leaned in, and whispered into his ear, smiling. "And before I decide on what would be best for you… I think you should tell me how you managed it."

He straightened up, whipping out his sonic screwdriver faster than blinking. Both Fred and George flinched, backing away in shock. His eyes were blazing, completely masking his sense of amusement with one of intense seriousness. One advantage of his latest ensemble. He had an unmatchable knack for slipping up the façades in any situation. He smiled internally about how useful that could prove to be, especially considering Rose's 'be totally jeopardy-friendly twenty-four-seven' routine.

George stepped resolutely forwards, pulling out his own wand. Fred simply blinked, staring straight at The Doctor.

"Take one down, and you take us both, Doctor," George warned threateningly. The Doctor turned to him, eyeing the wand in his hand and his determined face, then smiled.

"That's more like it," he said, replacing the sonic screwdriver in his trench coat pocket and dropping his hands. George blinked as Fred let out a low whistle of relief, backing away towards Ron, who seemed to be having a lot of trouble with containing his laughter.

"What?" he asked, suspiciously.

The Doctor beamed. "I wanted to see how useful you'd be if I decided to let you hang around. If you'd given in, I'd have sent you straight back. We don't do giving in. Couldn't have you tarnishing our 'do anything, no matter what' reputation, now, could I?"

George grinned and reached forwards, grasping The Doctors' hand. He took it briefly, before shaking Fred's as well. "Welcome to the TARDIS. Am I right in assuming that absolutely no-one back in Britain knows of your little escapade?"

"Not a soul, Doctor," Fred smirked. "We like to work alone, especially these days. You never know who you can trust until it's too late, so we don't bother taking the risk."

"Wise move, I think," The Doctor grinned, nodding. He turned to see Ron looking faintly purple in the face. Harry followed his train of vision and smiled.

"Oh, come off it, Ron? You didn't really think they'd get punished, did you?"

"God, you guys get away with anything!" he huffed, folding his arms and leaning against the barrier. "Just once I want to see you pay consequences for your actions. If I'd tried something like that, I'd have been shot."

"Well, little Bro. What can I say?" Fred declared proudly, stepping forwards and holding his arms wide in self admiration. He stopped in front of Ron, and patted him roughly on the shoulder.

"You've either got it, or you haven't" they said in unison, George calling from beside The Doctor. Ron shrugged Fred away and turned to Harry, before walking towards the doors. Hermione followed and stood beside him, smiling at his indignation. His ears were still burning slightly. Never a good sign, she mused.

Ginny was laughing softly, watching Fred and George with admiration.

"Let's see 'em, then!" she called. Fred grinned evilly and threw a white paper bag at her. She dipped her hand in quickly and pulled out a handful of small, round, rich purple sweets and identical orange ones. She nibbled on the edge of a purple one cautiously, and seconds later had vanished into thin air.

"The Orange ones'll bring you back," George informed her, grinning. They watched as one of the strangely suspended orange sweets lifted itself from it's mobile position in thin air and disappeared at about head height. Moments later, Ginny was standing there, grinning widely.

"Ingenious," she sighed. "Still prefer to use an invisibility cloak, though." Fred and George stared at her as though she was insane.

"What on Earth for? These are so much better! You can't reappear without eating the Orange ones, but there's every chance that a cloak would be pulled off. Those sweets there are flawless!"

"Oh, I agree that they're best for their purpose," she said airily, "but if you have an invisibility cloak, then you've got power. You're important. They're just so rare, so priceless. Those things will probably get you twenty sickles for a box."

Fred beamed at her.

"You're learning, sweet sister."

"Only from the best," she replied innocently.

Rose cleared her throat nonchalantly and stepped up to The Doctor, unconsciously grabbing his hand and tugging on it.

"Shouldn't we be off? New worlds to explore and all that?" The Doctor grinned manically at her and she smiled herself.

"Absolutely," he said, briskly, pulling her towards the door with uncharted enthusiasm. She still needed to adjust to this new him, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that they were the same. Some things were just so different. Rose pushed those thoughts from her mind quickly, preferring the idea of a clear head on a new planet rather than a preoccupied one.

"Off we go, kids," he called happily, beaming like a Cheshire Cat. Harry and Ginny exchanged raised eyebrows before smiling and following The Doctor and Rose towards the doors. He gave an air of a Business teacher taking a handful of delightful students to a Coca Cola Enterprises Workshop Day. The twins fell into step behind them, beaming at Ron and Hermione who had stepped aside to allow The Doctor to reach the door.

The Doctor reached forwards, grasping the doorframe firmly before turning around to his companions. He grinned slightly at the look of a full TARDIS. It had been a long time since she had entertained so many people. And it would no doubt be a long time until she held such a reception again. He sighed slightly, but said nothing. Instead he turned to Harry, smiling at Ginny's hand clasped loosely within his own.

"Sure about this?" he asked seriously.

"Absolutely!" Harry replied firmly, nodding. The Doctor held Harry's gaze for a second before grinning.

"Fantastic!" he called, and turned to the door once more, pushing it open and stepping out. Rose followed without hesitation, but the others turned to each other once more, glancing vaguely at the TARDIS console before following. They gave each other an encouraging nod, trying to encourage themselves at the same time, before stepping over the threshold into the unknown.

* * *

A pair of piercingly cold, red eyes loomed out into the never-ending darkness towards her, taking in her immobile form. Unable to move, she simply glared at him, her eyes reduced to slits within her pale face. She tried desperately shaking herself free from the shackles holding her, but achieved nothing except a painful throb from her wrists where the manacles were cutting into her skin. 

"How much longer are you expecting to keep me here?" she asked, her voice low and dangerous, every word dripping with power.

"Why, until I have everything I need," the eyes replied menacingly. "Don't worry. This war will be over soon. A few more days and I will have an army vast enough to destroy any barriers blocking my path to success."

"And what of me?"

"You have yet to serve your purpose. These little scraps of information that we have acquired from you have made a great deal of difference. Depending on your cooperativeness, you may find yourself a free woman, once again. On the other hand, fail to comply and you will be joining the rest of this pathetic planet and its worthless inhabitants. Under my ruling and facing execution."

"Nice of you to offer me the choice," she shot at him, quietly.

"I'd take this time to rest, if I were you. Your stubbornness is holding much pleasure for my servants. They do so enjoy working with you, and are looking forward to tomorrow's... ah... _meeting_."

"You won't get away with this!" she shouted desperately, cold fury lining every word.

With a quietly inhuman cackle, the red eyes turned, disappearing into the endless night surrounding her. A loud slam announced the cell door closing, locking away any sense of freedom from her battered and bruised existence. She pulled at the chains around her neck, crying out in rage, but to no avail. She slumped forwards, silent tears falling from her eyes, stinging at the coldness of her skin. Every inch of her was aching in ways she had never imagined they could before. A part of her was all up for giving in now.

But one thought kept her going. A face. Smiling and determined. A young male face with brown, ruffled hair and a wide smile, bright and youthful features hiding cleverly a hundred lifetime's worth of knowledge and wisdom. A genius. An ally. A friend. Her saviour. A Hero.

Her plan was working.

She half smiled slightly at the thought of her first taste of sunlight in months, the first breath of fresh air that she would take upon his arrival, the first true smile she could ever feel when she would see his face in front of her own. She thought about her freedom, a small, weary smile on her lips, before her blackness consumed her.

* * *

"Weird," Rose muttered, stepping cautiously out from the shadows of the TARDIS into a wide, open walkway. 

"What is?" The Doctor whispered back, staring around, a frown lacing his youthful features and making him look years older than he should have looked. Well, that was disregarding his age, of course.

"I dunno, it's just… Underworld. I always assumed it'd be all fires, and red and black, and burning, and little red men with horns and pitch forks."

"And once again you show such a tasteful knowledge of the 'real world', Rose Tyler," The Doctor grinned, turning to her briefly before turning back and shrinking into the shadows of the wall beside the TARDIS. "You humans really do have a knack for avoiding the truth, don't you? I mean, ghosts are white sheets, Aliens are little green men with huge, bulging eyes, and the Devil's a little red man with large ears and an even larger table fork. Things aren't usually as mundane as you make them out to be, you know."

"Yes, I suppose I do, after travelling with you."

The Doctor snorted slightly before returning to his rather serious manner. As Fred and George disappeared into the shadows beside them, he began to edge towards the corner of the wall, peering around through the darkness. The walkway was hard to make out through the maze of black walls. The one they were standing in was barely large enough for two men to pass between, and it branched off into at least seven smaller alleyways.

"Erm, Doctor?" Ginny whispered timidly.

"Hmm?"

"Do you know where you're going?"

"Nope."

"Oh, good."

The Doctor grinned widely at her, spotting the wild sparkling within her eyes as she squeezed Harry's hand once for reassurance. When she felt him squeeze back, she edged herself forwards until she was directly behind Rose, who was crouching behind The Doctor's unmistakably lanky form.

"Strange."

"What is?" Ron asked quickly.

"There's nobody here. No people, no aliens, no creatures of any kind… nothing. Not even the faintest heartbeat."

"And that's a bad thing?" Rose muttered, feeling privately relieved by the news. She new her elation wouldn't last, though.

"Yes, I think it is. Maybe we should split up."

_Yep, there it goes_. Rose felt her breath catch in her throat as she glanced at the six young wizards behind her, all of which were staring at the back of The Doctor's head as he continued to peer around the corner of their alleyway into the blackness beyond.

He turned to spot their looks of incredulity, and sighed.

"Well, you did volunteer to come. Still, maybe you're right. Perhaps sticking together might be the safest option."

"No," Harry called quickly. "I think you're right. The sooner we find a way in, the sooner we get out. We're all to go in pairs, though."

The Doctor nodded, having already sussed out that rule.

"But how can we find each other if we find something?" Hermione asked slowly. The Doctor paused, thinking. Rose looked up at Hermione, suddenly remembering something.

"What about your… Patronus things? Those weird, misty animals. Harry sent one and it found you, so why not send one if you find anything and it'll find us."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George all simultaneously pulled out their wands and launched their animals towards The Doctor and Rose.

"See these animals, and you'll know who's found what. They're all unique, so you won't end up worrying about who you're looking for if you bump into the wrong person," Fred said, softly, trying to keep his voice as low as possible without really knowing why. The six Patronuses returned to their casters, lingering for long enough for The Doctor and Rose to memorise the matches, before fading away into the surrounding darkness.

"And Rose can scream loud enough to attract any attention, so if you hear any noise, it'll most likely be her," The Doctor smiled. Harry and Ron snorted as Rose hit him playfully on the arm, glaring at him.

"Whereas any undisguised silence you hear from our end will most likely relate to the fact that The Doctor's got himself attacked, captured, tortured and dragged off into some far off galaxy on the other side of the Universe. Same old, same old," Rose shrugged, grinning. Her grin faded slightly as she looked at them.

"Are you sure about this? You could go home, you know. It could be dangerous. What am I saying? It _will _be dangerous!"

Six pairs of eyes glared at her, and she cowered slightly, sighing.

"We've faced more than this, before," Harry assured her. "Don't worry. We'll be fine. You just concentrate on looking after yourselves."

The Doctor stared at his determination quickly before flashing an encouraging smile and reaching once more for Rose's hand. He could feel her tremble, obviously nervous for their company. He feared for them, too, but Harry was right. They'd been through enough before to equip them. for this

He hoped.

Without another word, Fred and George marched off towards the closest exit, wands raised, disappearing into the darkness, their footsteps vanishing into silence. Ron and Hermione took the alleyway opposite them, watched all the way until they too faded away into blackness. Harry turned to take the pathway on their left but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Be careful," The Doctor said, softly, his eyes lingering on the scar on his forehead before turning to Ginny's determined stare. "Both of you."

Harry nodded, smiling grimly. "I'll watch over my girlfriend if you watch over yours," he grinned wickedly. The Doctor shot him a somewhat exasperated look before smiling back. He dropped his hand and sighed as Harry and Ginny vanished into the unnatural night, their footsteps echoing against the blackened walls before they too faded away.

Rose and The Doctor shared a look, before turning towards the corner and peeking around it once again.

Still nothing.

He turned to her, his eyes alight with adventure, and grinned.

"Ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

They smiled at each other, and began to make their way slowly into the depths of the Underworld, hiding themselves within shadows, their huddled figures disappearing into the blackness surrounding them.

Out of the everlasting darkness behind them, a pair of large, amber eyes blinked once, before vanishing, as though they had never existed. A rustling wind swirled gently above the floor, fading away through the walls. A soft echoing laugh broke the stillness of the Underworld, unheard by The Doctor or Rose, unheard by anyone, before it was consumed by the endless silence.

* * *

**Yay! It's taken them a while, but they've got there, at last. Things might start making a little more sense, soon, too. **

**I hope…****  
**

**This story is starting to write itself, now. So I hope it knows what it's doing. Because I'm not entirely confident that I do. **

**Reviews make me happy… -wink, wink- -nudge, nudge-**


	14. Run! The Story of Our Lives, Part 1

**Thanks to Rosetylerrox!**

**LittleGinny15: **Oh, poor you! I was off until Tuesday, too. School was closed for cleaning, after some virus thing that's spreading through half of Bradford. Not complaining in the slightest, though ;). It was fun! Thanks again! I'm so glad you liked it, and I hope I don't disappoint this time, either! Oh, and JubileeFudge! Nice name: D

**Lesslyn: **Hee hee, there's nothing wrong with Rambling! ; D Thanks again honey! Love you lots, blah blah blah… And all will be revealed. Glad you liked the comeback, too! I was debating about using them until I read your last review, and that sort of synched it, so it's probably down to you for making my mind up that I brought the Twins along. Glad you liked!

**Sorry about the delay! My Laptop's been playing up and I've only just got it back. I've split this chapter into two because it was soooooooo big! Here's part 1, and I'll try to get two up either tomorrow or Saturday! Here you go!**

**

* * *

**

**Run! The Story of Our Lives**

**Part 1**

"'Mione?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"Right."

"No, I am, though! I really am! It was such a stupid thing to say, and I should never have even thought it."

"No, you shouldn't, but I don't think that this is really the place to discuss it, do you?"

"Why not? It's as good a place as any."

Hermione stopped and turned to face Ron, the seriousness an uncanny resemblance of Mrs Weasley. He caught the glimmer of amusement in her face before she could disguise it, though. He couldn't contain his grin, but it slid from his face almost immediately when she spoke.

"Okay, so you're sorry. We've been through it all already. It's in the past. Forget it. And never think it again. Harry's like my brother, and you already know you're the only one I could ever want. So let's just leave things as they are for now," she whispered briskly, turning around and beginning to edge ever further through the blackness. She was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Sighing, she turned to him again, and raised her eyebrows. He paused.

"Let me go first."

"What on Earth for?" she asked in surprise.

"Well, it just seems appropriate. I dunno, like in films, and movies, and things. Men always go first into the unknown to protect the women."

Hermione smiled and turned again, her eyes glinting in the darkness.

"Well, this woman doesn't need protecting. She's fine as she is, thank you very much, Ronald Weasley. I don't need a bodyguard!"

"Please?" His voice was soft, gentle. Hermione stared at him, taking in his almost pleading face, his wide, bright eyes, his parted lips…

"Oh, alright then!" she mumbled, and moved aside to allow Ron to pass in front of her.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it… ever."

"Deal."

As one, they pressed themselves deeper into the shadows, moving as close to the wall as they possibly could. Their footsteps echoed around them, bouncing from the damp walls and fading away into the corridor ahead.

Hermione stepped in closer behind Ron, until she was near enough for him to feel her breath on the back of his neck. He smiled slightly. For once, he could play the Hero. Hermione seemed to have been thinking along the same lines.

"Makes a change," she said after a moment, "me following you. It's usually the other way round, isn't it?"

"Yeah, well. Today's a different day," he replied, a slight air of authority mixed expertly into his voice. Hermione smiled knowingly but decided not to attempt to inflate his ego any further for fear of explosion. Better to bring him down a peg.

"Today's a different _planet_," she muttered softly. "You wouldn't believe we were still on Earth, would you? It's all so… odd. I mean, I suppose it _is_ a bit like a different planet, because it's _under_ the Earth, but still, at the same time, we're the same. I wonder who lives down here."

Ron suddenly halted in his tracks and stood staring ahead in silence. Hermione walked straight into him and stumbled backwards with a low squeak.

"What is it?"

"There's something up ahead."

"Oh." Hermione felt her heart thud painfully against her chest. "Just like the movies."

"Just like the movies," he repeated softly, raising his wand in front of him. Hermione straightened her own wand, squinting against the darkness at the walkway in front of them. "Well, Hermione… You just said 'I wonder who lives down here'. I think we're about to find out."

_Scratch scratch scrape scratch. _

"… What was that?"

"Don't know… _Damnit_! I can't see a thing!"

_Scratch scrape scrape._

"There's more than one, isn't there?"

"Yes."

"We're screwed."

"Yes."

"Oh good. So this trip is going to be interesting, then."

"I should say so. And can you hear breathing?"

_Scratch scratch scratch._

"Light your wand."

"_Are you crazy, Hermione_?"

"Just light it, Ron, quick!"

"But they'll see us!"

"Well they can already hear us! Now for God's sake, _light it_!"

"Why?"

"Because!"

"Because what?"

"… Because there's something right behind me."

"… Oh my God."

"Exactly. Now light your wand, Ron, or I'll hit you."

Ron turned slowly on the spot, his eyes wide with fear. Slow, racking breaths pounded against his eardrums, tangling with his own racing pulse. The blood rushed into his head, his arms feeling strangely like lead as his wand hand twitched. He stared at Hermione's pale but determined face, sighed, closed his eyes, and raised his wand. _Lumos_!

The light burned through his closed eye lids as silence fell on the corridor, but he dared not open them. He felt Hermione's warm breath hit his frozen face, stealing herself for the inevitable, and he inwardly screamed as she turned in front of him. _Don't look, Herms! Please don't look! _

Nothing.

He opened his eyes and gasped. Hermione was standing rigidly still, her left hand unconsciously digging into his wrist, as he tried to stop his own hands from shaking with hers. He moved his attention from her to the creature in front of them.

Silence save it's rather erratic breathing. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to have abandoned that particular task. Ron cleared his throat slightly, never taking his eyes from the thing before them. Hermione gasped as it flexed its fingers, fingers that were far too long and thin and sharp to be safe. Fingers that appeared fragile and easy to snap, and ones that she knew would be able to strangle them on the spot if they provoked it enough.

"Of course."

"Yeah?"

"Plan, 'Mione?"

"Yeah."

The creature let out a low, thunderous growl, baring long, fang like teeth large enough to rip any limb to shreds. It's amber eyes were glowing brighter than Ron's illuminated wand. The creature stepped forwards on long, stick-thin legs, one clawed foot moving clumsily in front of the other. Ron began to back away, his eyes wide with fear and his heart thumping wildly in his chest. As he pulled Hermione backwards despite her protesting stillness, he felt frozen breath on the back of his neck, and quickly changed his mind about moving any further.

"So, what is it, then?"

Hermione paused, staring, fascinated by the creature, trying to memorise ever feature. Before she could think, it screeched a loud inhuman wail, and launched forwards, grabbing her around the waist. One raised hand clawed at her face once, leaving five, bleeding gashes running down her cheek. She screamed, kicking at it as it began to drag her backwards.

Ron blinked and redirected his wand at it's feet.

"_Impedimenta!_" he cried. The creature was knocked backwards, throwing Hermione from its grasp as it hit the floor. Ron reached for her hand and stared at her.

"_The plan_, Hermione?" he called desperately. She stared at him, the blood shining brightly against her pale complexion, fear lining every inch of her face.

"_Run_!"

* * *

"We should have found something by now." 

"Are you kidding me? It's like you wanna die!"

The Doctor paused and turned to Rose, grinning.

"Someone else has said that to me before. Who was it? I can't remember…"

"What, was it in your last regeneration?" Rose asked as she continued through the endless maze of twists and turns, her eyes only now becoming accustomed to the gloom. She never had liked carrots, much to her mothers' annoyance.

"I think so. When was it? … Oh, yeah! It was just after that Transmat beam. I was bounding around the Big Brother House, waiting for them to evict me after I blew up one of their cameras. Lynda said it to me."

He fell suddenly silent and Rose felt a slight stab of jealousy attack her heart.

"Oh. Whatever happened to her? Last I heard she was hanging around for you before you sent me home," she said, her voice cold and indifferent despite her attempts to keep it casual.

"She, er. The Daleks got her," he said shortly, his whole attitude dropping and changing to one of silent reflection rather than the upbeat attitude she so enjoyed. Rose felt her bitterness melt instantly.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," she muttered, feeling a little ashamed of herself.

"No you're not," he said suddenly. "I noticed. You didn't like her much, did you, Rose?"

Rose stared at him, thinking.

"No," she said after a moment. "Not really. She was a bit… dunno, really. I just didn't like her. But that doesn't mean I'm not sorry. You liked her."

"Right." His voice was short, quiet. Rose felt it cut through her like a sharp blade as he dissolved into silence.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"What for?"

"Dunno. I've done something, so sorry."

He turned to her, his eyes narrowed in confusion. He reached forwards, his hands cupping her chin in a friendly gesture.

"It's not your fault you didn't like her. Everyone's entitled to their own opinions. And you haven't done anything. I'm fine, honestly. It just… hurt a bit, that's all. I promised I'd get her out alive, and I failed."

Rose paused, staring straight into his eyes, daring herself.

"Can I ask you something?"

He blinked and stared at her, considering her look of open curiosity. He nodded slightly and she sighed.

"What did you like about her?"

The Doctor sighed too, and dropped his hands. He turned away and began again down the hallway, shrinking deeper into the wall with every step.

"She was sweet. She was friendly. An innocent… And she reminded me of you."

"Really?" Rose asked, following him. "In what way?"

"Don't know. She just did. She was hesitant when I told her to come with me. It took two attempts to get you to tag along at the beginning. Remember? She had knowledge. You've got a fair amount of brains when you put your mind to it. She was strong, willing to fight. She had a fiery attitude to match yours."

"Anything else?"

He stopped, staring ahead unseeingly, one hand clutching onto the damp wall for support, while his other was gripping tightly to Rose.

"She put her life in my hands. And I'm scared of letting you down. I've already failed her. Maybe it's a pattern," he mumbled as he set off again.

"Hey," Rose said, marching in front of him and blocking his way. "Stop it, now. You're not going to let anyone down."

"But I could!"

"No you couldn't! You're better than this! Since when did you let emotions cloud your judgement? You were so full of it before!"

"I _was_ better than this, Rose! I'm not him anymore, remember?" he sighed. She made to place a hand on his face in comfort but he blinked and turned away. "Maybe this is the new me."

"I doubt it, Doctor. You're still him, no matter what. And he wouldn't let his worries get in the way of saving the world. You've gained a pretty pessimistic opinion of yourself this time, haven't you? Gone to the other extreme, in fact," she smiled.

"Maybe I've just seen too much. Ever since that Transmat, things have just been… crazy. Lynda, you, The Daleks, Jack." Rose caught the flutter of tears and felt her throat convulse painfully.

"Oh, God… Jack… What happened to Jack, Doctor?"

The Doctor sighed heavily and turned to her again. There was a long, awkward silence as he tried to force the words out. Rose simply stared at him, fearful.

"They killed him. Last man standing, and fighting until the end. It turned out they all died in vain. I couldn't do it."

Rose blinked, his words not sinking in. She stared at him, trying to focus on his face as some strange, tiny, grieving thought attempted to grab her attention.

"Yes, you said that before, about finishing it but not being able to use it. But what do you mean, 'they killed him'? Killed him as in, he doesn't want to travel with us any more, or, killed him as in… he's gone?"

"Rose -"

Rose felt the heat drain from her face as her heart pounded hard against her chest.

"But, but you said he was busy? After you regenerated, you said he had plenty to be doing so we couldn't go back to find him… you made it sound like he was alright!"

"Well I wasn't exactly thinking straight at the time, was I? Pain can scramble your thoughts a bit."

Rose stumbled backwards, feeling blindly along the walls, her hands shaking violently as unshed tears threatened to leak through her watery eyes.

"No, not Jack. I forgot about him… regeneration, then the Sycorax, then here, and I've only just remembered him. What kind of friend does that make me? … Oh my God. Jack's dead. He's never coming back. He's gone…"

The Doctor stepped forward and hugged her as the tears began to fall from her eyes. Everything around them was suddenly pointless, useless. Without understanding how they came to be there, they were leaning against the wall, cuddling on the stone floor, the darkness enveloping them completely.

When he thought she had finally exhausted all of her tears, he turned to her, his voice breaking slightly before he could control himself properly.

"Rose, I am so sorry. Really I am. But we have to go. Remember where we are? This isn't the time or the place. We can mourn him properly later… but for now, there're six teenage wizards wandering around the Underworld amidst a blazing war. I know it isn't easy to shift your emotions, but I really need to you to try, here."

"I can't believe he's gone. Our Jack. Is there no chance he survived?" she asked tearfully. The Doctor shook his head once as he pushed himself to his feet, pulling Rose up with him. As she felt her heart tear, he paused, his eyes wide, remembering.

"Doctor?" she called uncertainly as he paled before her eyes.

"I don't know," he mumbled. "You said something, before, so I don't know. Maybe when you said it, you actually did it, and maybe you knew he was dead without knowing -"

"Doctor, what are you going on about?"

He straightened up, turning and staring intently at her, his eyes wide with wonder and hope.

"Maybe you saved him, Rose! You said 'I bring life' while you were the Bad Wolf, so maybe when you said it, you actually meant it! Maybe he isn't dead!"

Rose felt her heart heal instantly, as a watery smile broke across her face, her youth shining through once again.

"You mean there's a chance he's alive? He might not be dead?"

The Doctor ran at her and hugged her, laughing.

Oh, my God. I don't think I've ever loved you as much as I do right now, Rose Tyler! If you've saved him… well that defies the laws of Time, but it isn't impossible… I've only just remembered, so that means -" his face fell almost immediately, losing its youthful enthusiasm to a look of worry.

"What?"

He stared at her, smiling sadly.

"We left him behind, if he is alive. The only living person on Satellite Five. He must hate us."

"Oh." She paused. "But he'll understand, won't he? I mean, you thought he was dead. Won't he understand?"

The Doctor shrugged his shoulders, sighing.

"I don't know, Rose. S'pose he might if we explain it to him. We'll just have to wait and see. Come on. This passage has to lead somewhere."

The Doctor pulled away from her, planting a quick kiss on her forehead. But before he could set off again, Rose shuffled forwards and grasped his hand, squeezing it tightly as if testing that he really was there with her. He smiled down at her encouragingly, and met her blazing stare of resolution. His grin widened.

"Besides. I've had it with sentimentalities. Where's all the action? This incarnation's got a greater depression level than my last one did, and I really don't fancy going there."

"Er, Doctor?"

"Yes, Rose?"

"You wanted action. Well, I think you're about to get it."

The smile slid gracefully from his face as he stared at her wide-eyed, fearful expression. He stopped, as understanding caught up with him.

"There's something in this alleyway, isn't there?"

A low growl of rage echoed through the darkness towards them, as two small amber lights burst into life inches behind his shoulder. Rose gasped, staring at them, fascinated. She looked up at him, nodding.

"Yep."

"Of course." He turned cautiously, not wanting to scare whatever it was away before he could decide on its friendliness. The growls sounded fairly mutiness, but he had learned from experience that a growl didn't always mean problems.

As ten, needle-thin fingers loomed out towards them through the blackness, he paused, thinking. _Okay. Not really a good sign._

Rose stared with wonder as the glowing amber eyes moved closer to reveal a small, wolf-like face. It bared large, blood-stained teeth, and Rose glanced up at The Doctor.

"Plan?" she asked calmly.

"Run!" he replied, grinning.

* * *

A loud clattering outside her cell door brought her abruptly back to the land of the living. Barely two hours had passed. Was it time already? She shook her head slightly, trying to clear the haze from her mind, and lifted her head until her eyes were watching roughly where the door was to open at any moment. She straightened up, giving away nothing about her injured condition save her continued defiance to the whole system. 

"My, my. I'm certainly seeing a lot of this place today, aren't I?"

Despite the coldness of the room, the temperature appeared to drop a little further as two large, burning red eyes entered again into her cell, the flickering candlelight from the corridor outside momentarily blinding her before the door was slammed shut once more.

She stared at them, mentally realising that she had not yet seen the face to which those inhuman eyes belonged to. The icy voice, however. Well, she had heard that more than she cared to remember.

Days. Weeks. Months. Years? She'd lost count, now. A small part of her was wondering if she had ever had freedom. The longer she was here, the less she could remember. Nothing but darkness and pain. Torture, blackness… A young, scruffy-haired face, smiling cheerily at her… then more blackness, more pain…

"It might interest you to know that your 'session' has been moved to tomorrow. Your place was taken this afternoon by a new arrival."

"What?"

"You heard. Aren't I the generous one? Granting you a whole twenty hours of pain-free contemplation. Why, I'm growing quite sentimental in my mature years, am I not?"

"Who? What new arrival?"

"Oh, you'll have plenty of time to get to know him. You have company, you see." His voice rose to an ordering bark as the eyes turned to face the door, filling the darkness once more. "Bring him in!"

The cell door was thrown open again, and three people entered, two hooded creatures supporting a third. The room was suddenly flooded with an icy chill, as long, rattling breaths shook through her body. Screams mingled within the sound of roaring flames racked her mind, until she was physically shaking with grief. She knew there was nothing she could do, though. The effect those creatures could have upon her still astonished her, and to her knowledge, they couldn't be stopped.

She gritted her teeth, keeping the tears well hidden, as the two hooded creatures stopped beside her and roughly chained the man they had carried into the cell to the walls, binding his hands within an identical pair of manacles to those around her own wrists.

She closed her eyes, willing them to leave, and refused to open them until the temperature rose slightly, followed by a slam of the cell door. The red eyes leered at her through the gap in the bars, and she could tell they were smiling.

A wide, nightmarish smile.

"Make him comfortable, Mudblood. I believe you two will have much to share. Least of all your lack of magical knowledge. Perhaps you can convince him to divulge his own celestial familiarity before his 'session' tomorrow night. Who knows? I might even have the two of you working together. He has information to rival your own. Sleep well, Mudblood. You're going to need it."

A loud cackle of laughter rang endlessly through her ears until she was screaming herself in an attempt to silence it. As the laughter faded away, a low groan from beside her quickly silenced her own cries, and she gasped instead.

"Oh, my. Are you alright?"

"Ooh, my head… that must have been one Hell of a celebration, last night… either that or I'm in a situation that I _really _don't feel like facing, right now. Oh, chains," he said, sounding surprised, as he shook his hands, opening his eyes. "Not a good sign." The man blinked once, and turned to her, staring through the darkness.

"Hi. Would you mind telling me where we are, or would that be too much to ask of such a vibrant, Earth-shatteringly beautiful creature, like yourself?"

She stared at him in shock, unable to think of anything to say in reply. He smiled slightly, but his smile quickly turned into a grimace of pain.

"What did they do to you?" she asked in concern.

"Erm. Can't remember. Anything. I'm guessing this isn't Satellite Five, then." He quickly gave himself a mental smack. _Real smooth, that. Just blurt it all out, why don't you!_

Her breath caught in her throat as the words echoed around her head.

"Satellite Five? What do you know about it?" she asked hurriedly. He blinked at her.

"Why? What do you know? I'm sorry, but who are you?"

"I'm – I _was_ – looking for someone, and I know he was on - I mean he was last seen - on Satellite Five."

"…Right. The name's Jack Harkness, by the way. I think… anyway, nice to meet you, Miss, er..."

"Tericherlula."

She could see his look of placid surprise looming out towards her through the darkness. Feeling slightly irritated by the fact that her name seemed to be a cause of great interest to everyone she met, she waited for his reaction.

"…Okay."

"Most people just call me Teri, though," she added hastily. She could tell he was mentally attempting to pronounce her name, and thought it best to save him the trouble.

He paused.

"You're not an Earthling, then."

"No. And neither are you, by the sounds of it."

"I am… Human, I, mean."

"…Right then. So how and what do you know about Satellite Five?"

"I practically live on Satellite Five, these days. I'm part of a rescue team who're working on rebuilding Planet Earth. Sorry, but, who did you say you were looking for, again?"

"I didn't."

"Well, you should. I know everyone on that space station, and I'm sure I could tell you where your friend is."

Teri considered him, smiling slightly.

"A hot shot, are you?" she asked. He grinned.

"If ya like. So what's his name?"

She paused, thinking. When she felt the silence had been dragged out for long enough, she straightened up, watching him through intrigued eyes, her expression serious.

"Okay, then… I'm looking for The Doctor. Do you know him?"

* * *

**Okay, a bit of a cliffy, but I'm going to try to update with Part 2 ASAP. I'll try to be quick to make up for the long wait you've endured for this one. Thanks for your patience! **

**Thank you guys! **

**And I like reviews…**


	15. Run! The Story of Our Lives, Part 2

**Thanks to Marcus S Lazarus, Rosetylerrox, AmyAmidala, and daffodilTARDIS! You're reviews had me smiling for hours! Love you all! Well, you know what I mean. ;)  
**

**LittleGinny15: **I'm guessing you're a Jack fan, then?  Lol, me too! He's great! Thank you again! And here's your update, honey!

**I need to apologise for the unregistered link formed when naming my character. Believe me, when I thought of Teri, there was no intentional link between this and 24. Jack and Teri… I noticed it as soon as I'd posted it. Sorry, it wasn't intentional; it was just a name I thought of off the top of my head. I don't think I need a disclaimer for that, because it's not related to it, so sorry about that. If you didn't notice, then never mind. If you did, sorry! I won't change it, but I'll reiterate that there's no link whatsoever with 24.**

**

* * *

**

**Run! The Story of Our Lives**

**Part 2**

"I wonder how the others are doing."

"Well, we haven't heard anything yet."

"Yeah, that's what worries me. I don't know if we should take that as a good thing or a bad thing. Maybe you should go back, Gin."

"No chance."

"Didn't think so," Harry muttered, smiling. He raised his wand a little higher, sending the beam of light from its tip rocketing through the corridor ahead. A shuffle of movement out of the corner of his eye had him stopping in his tracks. "Did you see that?" he whispered, hurriedly.

"See what?"

"Something moved. Wait, stop a minute, Gin!"

Ginny back-tracked and moved in beside him, following his glance into the now illuminated corridor ahead of them. The slightest shift in the shadows was enough to convince her. They weren't alone.

"Got your wand?"

Ginny raised her own, lighting it quickly and directing its beam towards Harry's, until the entire corridor was bathed in light. Harry lowered his wand slightly as every shadow vanished to reveal an empty alleyway.

"Where is it?"

Ginny moved slowly towards the place from where the moving shadow had disappeared.

"Nothing," she muttered, crouching down and pointing her wand at the ground to examine the floor. Harry turned on the spot, his wand light lifting from her face to the alley behind them. She looked up at him curiously, as he turned to face her again.

"Right. We keep moving," he said firmly, walking forwards and reaching for her hand. She grasped it gratefully and he pulled her once more to her feet.

As he turned to set off again, walking as close to the wall as he could without touching it, a glittering, golden light caught his attention, glowing steadily from the floor below the wall beside them, just behind Ginny. He turned and stared at it.

"What?"

"_Look_!"

Ginny twisted around and stared at it too, frowning. "What is it?"

"Well isn't it obvious?" Ginny glanced at him questioningly, and he sighed. "That's a doorway, that is. There's something on the other side of this wall. And that would probably explain where our shadow-thing vanished to. Which leaves us with a great, big, interesting dilemma," he smiled, still staring intently at the faint golden line at the base of the wall.

"And that would be …?"

"Do we take the most sensible option and play it safe, continuing down this endless corridor -"

"Or do we throw all caution to the winds, give in to curiosity and see where our newest discovery leads to?" Ginny finished, grinning broadly. Harry nodded, smiling.

"Your choice, Gin," he said. Ginny glanced briefly down the alleyway, then back at the crack of light beneath her feet. She studied it curiously for a few seconds, then turned back to face Harry, smiling.

"I think we know each other well enough, by now. You're dying to know what's behind here, and I'm dying to know what's behind here. And that leaves only one logical option, don't you think?"

Harry beamed at her. She stepped back to give him room to pass before her, and stood still, watching. Harry raised his left hand and ran his fingers over the cold, damp stone, thinking.

"Right. So this is a door, and there are lots of different ways to open doors depending on the location. Sometimes you have to give them something, sometimes you have to say something… sometimes you simply have to touch something," he whispered as his fingers closed around a tiny protruding stone. He glanced at Ginny, who nodded resolutely, and he pushed.

The stone disappeared through the wall, leaving a small hole in its place. Ginny moved up beside Harry and they both watched, smiling, as the stone bricks beside it fell one by one through the hole after the first.

He reached for her hand, and she took it obligingly. The final stones fell through to the other side, and a small doorway was revealed, the arch-like structure still perfectly preserved.

"Handy craftsmanship." He turned to Ginny, and grinned. "Ready?"

"Of course."

"Good." Harry squeezed her hand gently and tugged her through the arch-way, his wand raised, as their feet caught on the litter of rubble from the wall.

The blackness was thicker, now; a lot more pronounced than it had been in the corridor that they had just left. The light from Harry's wand appeared to melt about three inches from where they were walking, almost as if it was shrouding them in a bubble of light as it floated along with them.

"God, I can't see a thing!" Harry muttered. "I'm getting a bit fed up with this, now. It's like we're the only people down here."

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"How exactly did you plan to negotiate with… whoever it is that's down here? You haven't brought anything with you. Are you not going to have to give something to them to get whatever it is that you need?"

"Ah, but we've got Magic. And that's the only thing that these Demons need. Well, so I've read, anyway. They live down here in luxury, but they have to travel to the surface every hundred years or so to fetch witches and wizards and bring them down here. It's like their way of feeding, I think. They can't live without magic, so they stock up whenever they return to the surface with enough to last them a century or so."

"Dunno what they consider to be luxurious, but I think they've missed a few vital lessons in Etiquette. It's horrible, down here!"

"Not to them, it isn't."

"So what exactly are they? These Demon things?"

"Erm. I don't know. I've read about them briefly, but there wasn't a lot to go on. And there were no pictures or anything. I don't think anyone knows what they look like. You don't usually get offered the chance to live if you see them, so how someone could write about them still baffles me!"

"… Right."

"Oh, sorry, Gin. That isn't going to happen."

"Wait! I can see something!"

Harry turned his attention to the passageway in front of them and stared.

"_Nox_!" he murmured, plunging them into solid darkness once more. As they made their way cautiously forwards, a small speck of golden light moved closer to them.

"There's light coming from beyond that corner, up ahead. It must be a room, or something," Ginny whispered, clinging on to Harry's arm as she crept forwards behind him. Harry raised his wand, ready, as they continued through the gloom.

As they stopped on the corner of the alley, Harry glanced quickly at Ginny, who nodded and shrank into the shadows. He gripped his wand tightly, and stepped up to the edge of the alley, glancing carefully around the corner.

A shuffling noise caught his attention and he flicked his head back quickly, staring at Ginny.

"There's something in there," he muttered. Ginny nodded again, paling slightly, and raised her own wand. "On three, yeah?"

"Yeah," she murmured back, softly.

"Right. One… Two… _Three_!"

As one, they burst around the corner, their wands ready and stunning spells on their lips. As they realised who it was that they had encountered, they skidded to a halt, swearing.

"_Wait_! Don't shoot!"

"For God's Sake, George! What the Hell did you think you were _doing_! We could have _killed_ you!"

"_Sorry_! We didn't know you were there, did we?"

Harry sighed and lowered his wand as Ginny relinquished her own, looking around for Fred. Fred emerged from behind a large boulder seconds later with a lit torch in his hand and a smile plastered across his face.

"Hey, sis, and sis's boyfriend." Harry glared at him, shaking his head. "Nice of you to drop in to our humble hide-out."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, we've been here pretty much since we left you," George said airily, picking up a small knife that was set precariously atop one of the smaller boulders. "It's weird, but handy."

"Quite," called Fred. "We've found a lot of items of interest, down here. Whoever hangs around in this place appears to have a real obsession with violence and injury."

"Oh?" Ginny stepped forwards and reached for the tiny knife held within her brother's white fingers. She held it by its point and examined the handle with interest. The wooden carvings flickered warmly in the torchlight, the flames from the surrounding brackets illuminating the intricate patterns carved deep into the wood. She didn't have a clue what they meant, but was fascinated by them, all the same.

"Knives and swords and daggers and chains. Guns, and grenades, bombs, candlesticks, pipes, hammers, nails, bricks, rope, everything."

"Sounds like something that's come right out of Cluedo. Miss Peacock in the Library with the spanner, sort of thing," Harry mumbled, more to himself. He looked up in time to catch the raised eyebrows, and he shook his head, smiling. "An old Muggle Game. Don't worry, forget I said anything. Did you find anything to say who lives down here?"

"Not a footprint, Sherlock. This place is spotless."

"Well, apart from the wide collection of infantry, that is. Why? Who does hang around down here?"

Ginny smiled. "That's the problem. We don't know."

"How did you know about Sherlock Homes?" Harry asked with interest. Fred and George shared a look.

"Well, he was a wizard, wasn't he?" George exclaimed. "Blimey, Harry, you think he could solve all of those mysteries without having a magical knowledge? No Muggle's that good!"

Harry gaped at Fred, his eyes wide with wonder. "I never knew that! I always assumed he was a Muggle, the way they go on about him all the time. He's a legend to them. Really? He was a wizard?"

"Yep! A genius, too," George sighed. "I've always fancied meeting him. Learning a few vanishing acts, a trick or two from an expert…"

"How are you with a broadsword, Harry?" Fred called suddenly. Harry blinked and stared at him.

"Wouldn't know, Fred," he replied in surprise.

"Fancy having a look-see, then?" Harry suddenly grinned wickedly and walked across to where Fred was standing, his right hand resting on the handles of a pair of identical longswords. "No wands, mind. I wouldn't stand a chance against you if I let you use that wooden stick of yours."

"You must be pretty bored. Still, it's not like there's anything else to do around here… Alright, then." Harry reached for a sword and ran his fingers across the sharp blade, before grasping it tightly by the handle and standing in front of Fred. Ginny and George looked across in interest and moved to the side of the large, stone room to watch. Fred grinned across at Harry, who smiled innocently back.

"Any rules before we begin, Mr Potter?"

"Only one," he smiled. "No rules."

"Fine by me," Fred said, feigning seriousness.

Ginny and George stepped back as the two teens and their swords moved into the middle of the room. The torches in their brackets flickered ominously, and a soft wind swept across the floor unnoticed by everyone. Harry's eyes were blazing, and Ginny felt a faint glimmer of fear for her brother, who seemed unnaturally calm to say he was staring at a blade long enough to slice through his entire body with one strike. She knew Harry wouldn't deliberately harm Fred, but he had changed a lot over the past few weeks. She was beginning to wonder if anything was beyond him.

As one, Harry and Fred launched at each other, swords raised. The clang of metal sent a shiver running through her spine and she flinched. The torchlight reflected from the blades shone against the wall behind her as George cheered beside her. She watched as Harry dodged Fred's blows, who in turn ducked and dived away from Harry's.

"My God, Harry! I thought you said… that you'd never… used one before!" Fred panted as he rolled out of the way of a rather menacing looking blow to the head.

"I haven't!" Harry beamed.

As their swords met once more, forming the rather clichéd cross move, a siren whistled around the room, bringing them to a stop as they both looked up in confusion. Ginny stared at the ceiling as a high-pitched voice rang through the Underworld, rooting everyone to the spot.

"_Alert! Alert! Intruders in Section 14, Weapons Storage! Alert! Intruders in Section 14, Weapons Storage! Investigate immediately!_"

Harry grinned.

"I think that means us," he sighed, softly. Ginny laughed weakly but her laugh turned almost immediately into a scream of terror. Harry, Fred and George whirled around and stared in shock as at least seven wolf-like creatures burst from the corridor, through which Harry and Ginny had come minutes before, and stopped, staring.

"_What are they?_" Ginny whispered, staring at their outstretched claws in horror.

"Do you really want to wait around to find out?" George called back, pulling out his wand as Fred readied his sword. Harry couldn't decide which weapon would be the most effective, and decided on using both, pulling out his wand and steadying it in his right hand as he straightened the sword in his left.

"Erm, Harry? Are you crazy?"

"Wouldn't surprise me if I was," he replied quickly, his eyes raking across the room in an attempt to spot an escape route. A small protruding stone on his right caught his attention, and he began to edge towards it, trying to move without attracting too much notice. A rumble of low growls erupted as the creatures moved in closer, sending Ginny, Fred and George backing away, weapons raised.

"Right. Come over here," Harry muttered. "Slowly. No sudden movements."

He reached out his left hand, the sword still tight within its grasp, his wand still covering the new arrivals, and pressed the stone into the wall. With a soft click, the doorway was revealed.

The twins and Ginny launched themselves towards him as he stepped aside to let them through the stone archway. The creatures pelted after them with a chorus of loud, inhuman roars, running across the room on remarkably thin legs, their amber eyes blazing with rage. As Harry disappeared through the doorway, he pointed his wand at the advancing party, who were metres from the open door.

"_Colloportus!_"

Ginny stepped up behind him, her face flushed, as the twins skidded to a halt a little way down the corridor.

"That should hold them for a while," Harry said, attempting to even out his breathing enough to stop himself from dropping on the spot. He blinked and looked at the sword held loosely within his grasp, only now registering its peculiar lightness.

"_Reducio!_" he thought, mentally shrinking the sword enough to fit it into his pocket for the time being. Fred grinned at him and did the same. "It might come in handy later," he said when Ginny stared at him questioningly.

A loud _Crack!_ broke the silence and a large indent was suddenly apparent within the stone wall that had seconds before been an open door.

"I thought you said that lock would hold it!" Ginny cried, backing away.

"Well obviously I was wrong!" He shouted back, grabbing her hand and running towards Fred and George.

"What now?" George asked, staring as a second smash rocked the wall behind them, followed by a slender, five-fingered claw that was worming its way through a small hole. Harry blinked and turned to them, then pelted past, Ginny hanging onto his hand and running at an equal pace. His accompanied shout echoed around their heads, as he vanished around a corner.

"_Run!_"

* * *

Rose skidded to a halt behind The Doctor, who was crouching behind a large, crystal-looking plinth, staring ahead at a vast purple lake. She sighed deeply and dropped onto her knees beside him. 

"_Phew!_ That was close. _Too_ close. Do you think we lost them?" she asked frantically, gasping for breath. The Doctor nodded briefly, never taking his eyes from the swirling violet waters.

"For now," he murmured. "I wonder what that is."

"Looks like purple water, to me, Doctor," Rose grinned. "Don't tell me you're colour blind, this time, as well."

"No, of course not. I didn't mean that, I mean… Yes I did! What is it? It isn't water; it isn't any sort of liquid that I've ever seen."

Rose paused, and then tapped him once on the shoulder.

"Well, let's go and have a look. You said we'd lost those creatures, whatever they were."

"Call them Natives until we find out what species they are," he corrected her softly. Rose rolled her eyes once and pulled him to his feet, smiling. She tugged on his hand and he followed her closer to the water's edge. Together, they dropped down once more, and stared at the ripples beneath the dreamy, coloured surface.

"Strange," he mumbled, more to himself than to Rose. She looked up and examined the room they had arrived in, taking in every detail.

Everything in this chamber appeared to be made from some form of ice, the walls, the floors, the ceiling. Crystals and large icicles were pointing upwards out of every wall, each one facing the huge, ice-looking bridge that was crossing the amethyst lagoon.

Rose sighed and looked down at the waters, smiling as a flicker of light reflected from the surrounding crystals launched across the lake, sending soft ripples rocking the surface gently. She stared with fascination as The Doctor reached a tentative hand toward the lake, and touched the tip of his index finger to the waters. He smiled.

"What?" Rose asked, quickly.

"It's warm. It's wonderful… beautiful…" Rose watched as his eyes gained a somewhat glazed expression, staring unblinkingly into the depths below. Feeling slightly uneasy, she tapped him on the shoulder again.

"That's enough, now, Doctor," she muttered. He ignored her, his hand dropping bit by bit into the swirling waters, a gentle smile influencing his content expression. "Doctor!" she called warningly.

It was like he couldn't hear her. He was on the edge of the lagoon, now, everything below his elbow hidden beneath the glossy surface. She watched in shock as he moved slowly forwards, lifting his foot just enough to sink it into the rippling lake, his smile widening with every movement.

"_Doctor!_"

Nothing.

Feeling faintly annoyed by his ignorance, she reached forwards and wrenched his arm up and out of the water. He blinked and pulled back, falling backwards with a soft cry of shock. She pulled him into a sitting position, and he turned to her, staring at her look of combined worry and irritation in surprise, as she dropped his arm.

"What was that all about? It was like I was talking to a brick wall!"

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were talking. Didn't know anything, as a matter of fact…" and he stared once again at the lake, the water winking invitingly at him as more streaks of reflected light interrupted its stillness. Feeling suddenly uneasy, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a small vial. "This isn't safe," he said suddenly.

Rose snorted as he reached forwards and dipped the vial into the lake, collecting a small amount of swirling liquid with a frown on his face.

"No, and you were about to go for a swim in it," she said, shaking her head as he replaced the stopper. She looked up quickly, a sudden thought catching her attention.

"Hang on, I thought we were underground. How can ice survive in a place that's supposed to be about as hot as the Sun?"

The Doctor looked up, examining the intricate sculptured statues and towers scattered randomly around the room.

"Good question." He gazed at a statue on the other side of the ravine, and stood up, crossing the bridge before Rose had managed to drag herself to her feet, and hopping down onto the other side. Rose followed, jumping from the bridge herself as he stopped beside the statue that had intrigued him. She walked towards him and watched as he began running his hands over it, muttering.

"It's warm," he said, finally. "Here, feel it," and he raised her hand, softly, placing it onto the wing.

"It's beautiful," she sighed. "Strange, but beautiful. It looks like a cross between a cat and a fairy."

"Oh, no." The Doctor dropped her hand immediately and ran around to the other side.

"What's the matter?"

As she followed him, she saw quite clearly what had upset him. A small figure was lying face down, crumpled on the floor behind the statue, bushy brown hair sweeping across the ice around her, unmoving.

The Doctor knelt down beside her and pushed her carefully onto her back. Rose gasped as the light from the ice-sculpture behind her illuminated the five blazing cuts across her cheek.

"Hermione?" he called softly, manoeuvring her so that her head rested against his knees. Rose dropped down beside them, reaching for her neck in search of a pulse.

"She's alive, Doctor," Rose said, firmly, grabbing Hermione's hand. Suddenly realising what it was that was missing from the picture, Rose turned and stared at The Doctor in horror.

"Doctor?" she murmured, her eyes wide.

"Yes?"

"Where's Ron?"

The Doctor turned to her, his shock by no means disguised. They shared a look of horror, before he blinked and returned his gaze to Hermione. He placed a shaking hand against her chest and felt for her heartbeat, frowning. He took her pulse himself, counting them, and Rose watched with trepidation as his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"They're racing," he muttered. "Something isn't right."

"Well, what makes you say that? Doctor?" Rose suddenly called sarcastically. "It wouldn't be the fact that she's out of it, would it?" He glared at her but otherwise ignored her remark. She sighed, then pointed at Hermione's face. "What did that?"

"Don't know. But whatever it was, it's poisonous."

Rose gaped at him, her eyes wide.

"You mean, she's been poisoned? That's why she's like this?"

"So it would seem. And judging by the fact that there're five scratches, I think whatever attacked her must have been the same thing that came for us."

"Have you ever seen those creatures before?"

"No. They're new to me, unfortunately. Which means I have no idea about how to stop them."

As The Doctor lowered his gaze to Hermione, shaking her gently in an attempt to rouse her, a soft, _whoosh!_ broke the sleepy silence, and Rose gasped as something hit the side of her neck. Her hair fell over her face, and The Doctor looked up as she raised a shaking hand and tugged weakly on something.

"Rose?"

He felt the heat drain from his face as she pulled out a dart-like object, the end thinner than a needle.

"Oh no, _Rose_!" he shouted desperately, lowering Hermione once more to the ground as he stumbled to his feet. He moved around to Rose, and crouched down in front of her, taking the dart from her slackened grasp. He examined it quickly, his eyes wide and his hearts racing.

"Rose? Rose, are you alright?" he whispered, gently, as he dropped it onto the floor, more interested in his companion.

Rose finally raised her head, moving her hair out of the way with a strange hand, her fingers unusually thin for a human's. The Doctor stared at her in horror, taking in the wide, ochre eyes and her suddenly sharpened teeth. Her elongated blonde hair was curled around a pair of wolf-like ears, and she let out a low growl of rage.

The Doctor stared, horrified, then jumped backwards as she stretched out a strangely clawed hand and aimed for his face.

"Hey! Now, that's not very nice, is it? Rose! It's me! Snap out of it!"

Rose howled and ran at him again, missing his face by inches. He reached back and grabbed her around the waist, but she kicked out of his grasp and tugged at his shirt, leaving large claw-marks inches above his skin.

He stumbled clumsily to his feet and threw himself behind the statue, following her movements with his eyes as he tried to concentrate on his own at the same time. She followed, her clawing and biting missing him by mere inches, as he dodged out of the way.

"Rose! _It's me_! The Doctor! Come on, Rose, _please_! Stop it, _right_ now!"

Rose launched forwards her arms outstretched, and, this time, her aim was true. She grabbed onto his wrists, her needle-sharp nails digging beneath the skin. He yelled in horror and made to tug away, but she leant forwards, and attacked at his neck viciously with sharp fangs, before he could move a muscle. A scream of pain tore from his throat as he pushed her away from him, raising a hand to his neck, but his movements began to weaken as his vision hazed over. He stumbled backwards, shaking his head feverishly, as Rose stopped just in front of him, her fangs bared and her clawed arms wide. Her now remarkably heavy breathing burnt treacherously against his eardrums, as a faint mist began to cloud his vision.

"Rose," he murmured. She howled triumphantly as he watched helplessly, her hazy figure swimming before his eyes. Lowering his hand, he vaguely registered its now blood-stained appearance as he fell to his knees, before his eyes closed on him, rolling up into his head despite his reluctance to allow them to. His head split with pain as his neck throbbed horrendously, and he fell forwards onto the icy floor with a low and gentle moan, consumed by an endless, pain-filled blackness.

* * *

Jack blinked and shook his head once, staring around at his surroundings with, clearly forced, interest. Teri took that as a yes. Jack knew The Doctor. 

"Do you, er, know what those things were that brought me in here? Those hooded things. I don't think they were human."

"Have you changed the subject on purpose?" Teri asked suspiciously.

"And who's sort of sick joke are we tangled up in? Who's the resident megalomaniac this time?"

"You're not going to answer my question, are you?"

"No, I'm not," he said, shortly, looking at anything but her, despite the fact that there was precious little to look at. Teri sighed heavily, and decided to try reverse psychology. Maybe whatever they had made him relive, and it had obviously worried him enough to make him want an idea about what he was up against, would encourage him to talk about The Doctor.

"Those things were Dementors. Or so He said. Creatures of Darkness who force people to relive their gravest memories. Why? Did you not like what you saw, or something?"

"No. So it wasn't just my imagination, then?"

"I doubt it."

There was a pause, during which Jack turned to her, watching her curiously.

"So, if they make you watch your worst memories, yours wouldn't include The Doctor, would it?" he asked, quietly. Teri smiled in spite of her situation. Reverse psychology worked, then.

"Yes, I suppose it did. I can't remember much about it. I was too young, but still I can remember bits of it. Horrific bits, mainly. The Doctor was there, not as he is now, but as he was."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"He's changed a lot since then. What was yours?"

Jack paused, thinking about how easy it was to talk to this stranger.

"The day I died. The day I was reborn. The day they left me behind."

Teri blinked. Now they were getting somewhere.

"Who's 'they', Jack?" she asked, gently.

"The Doctor and Rose." Teri felt as if her heart had just plunged itself into her stomach. Pieces flew together in her mind, and she gasped.

"Oh, my God… they left you on Satellite Five, didn't they?" she whispered.

"What do you know about Satellite Five?" Jack asked her curiously. "What do you know about The Doctor?"

"This whole thing started after Satellite Five. I've been searching for The Doctor for months, though it probably won't have been that long for him. Maybe a week, maybe less, but I've been looking for ages. His last known location was Satellite Five. Him and two companions. You were one of them, weren't you? I remember seeing you, on Satellite Five, wandering corridors, unseeingly, thinking. I would have helped you, but there was no time. You didn't see me, so I left, tracking again. My… ship was pulled off course, drawn in here, to this world. A small signal that was interfering with my tracking equipment. I thought it was The Doctor, but it wasn't.

"The 'resident megalomaniac', as you so rightly put it, calls himself The Dark Lord. He's planning something. Some plot or other to dominate the world. Well, that's nothing knew, is it? But this one, well he's got brains. He's done research. He scanned me, and realised that I wasn't human, and now he's using my knowledge to call together creatures from across the Universe. His army isn't big enough. It's enormous, but he still can't see it as large enough to take over this world.

"So now, I'm kept here until I cooperate properly. It's some old, derelict house overlooking a tiny, little village, way beyond help of any kind. We have to be the only living people for miles. I've only been giving him scraps of information, so far, but the technology around here is making it harder and harder for me to fight them."

"Why were you looking for The Doctor?" Jack asked quietly. Teri studied him, smiling sadly.

"He knows about my past. Or at least, he knows about what happened to my family. I want answers. I need answers. It's been long enough, now, and I need to know why it is that I've been alone for the last ten years."

"But, you're so young… you don't look older than -"

"Seventeen? Yeah, I was seventeen last month."

Jack remained silent, thinking. Finally, he looked up and spoke so softly that Teri had to lean in closer to hear his words.

"I'm sorry. I guess that means I'm not the only person he's left behind, then." Teri shook her head so violently that he was surprised she didn't give herself a head injury.

"Jack, he didn't leave you! He thought you were dead!"

"How do you know?"

"Because I thought you'd died, too. When I heard about that war with the Daleks, the rumour was that one of his companions had died. That's why, when I saw you, I didn't help. If I'd known that it was you, I would have done anything to help you, but I'd heard that someone close to The Doctor had died. If an outsider like me thought it, then why would The Doctor have reason to believe otherwise? He honestly thought you'd been killed, Jack. He didn't leave you, at all."

"Do you know if Rose is okay?"

"Who's Rose?"

"Erm, his companion."

"Oh, yeah, I know he left with one companion, so that must have been Rose. She was fine, I think. The rumour was that he'd only lost one. And if that was – is – you, then Rose must be fine."

Jack sighed and shrugged.

"Well it doesn't matter, anyway. I doubt I'll ever see them again." Teri smiled, suddenly, and he stared at her. "What?"

"Oh, you'll be seeing them again, alright," she said, grinning.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"They're here, Jack."

Silence.

"How?" he whispered in shock. "What're they doing here?"

"Simple. I brought them here. I need help. The world needs help. The entire Universe needs help. The Doctor may not know of my existence, but I know of his. And, my own personal feelings and questions aside for the moment, he is the only one who can help us."

"So, what, you've just pulled him from wherever he was to this place?" Jack asked sceptically.

"Well, in a sense. As I suppose you know, Jack, the Laws of Time mean little to a renegade Gallifreyan."

Jack stared at her in shock, her words hitting him with enough force to knock over an elephant. He gazed at her, amazed, a memory of what seemed so long ago echoing within his mind as he studied the truth within her eyes.

"_But that's impossible. I recognise those ships. They were destroyed!"_

"_Obviously, they survived."_

Jack had had good reason in the past to believe that the destruction of the Daleks had been the ultimate sacrifice. All of The Doctor's people. All of the Time Lords. The entire planet Gallifrey…

"Oh, my God, Teri," he whispered. "You can't mean… that's impossible, he said it was… you mean you're a…" he couldn't bring himself to say it as he stared at her, his mind drawing a sudden blank.

Teri held his silence for a moment, staring at him with curiosity. How much did he know about her race? It had to be more than she did, if he had travelled with The Doctor. That thought only increased her desperation and thirst for knowledge, and as she returned to the present, watching as Jack's mouth opened and closed in shock, she resolved to herself that she would find the answers that she so desperately needed to find.

She sighed.

"Yes, Jack," she smiled, sadly. "I'm a Time Lady."

* * *

**Long chapter, this one. Suppose it makes up for the delay. Hope you enjoyed it! All reviews are welcome!**


	16. Deceiving Innocence

**Thanks to AmyAmidala, Melon Fairy, gatermage and shinotenshi for your reviews!**

**LittleGinny15: **Aaw, sorry, I can't really. This is post TCI, but it takes place before New Earth, see. Unless I send them forwards in Time a few days to a certain hospital … Sorry, don't suppose I can, but I could always write a New Earth Fic at some point … Anyway, sorry for the delay, I've been excruciatingly busy over the Holidays, but here's you're update!

**Lesslyn: **Thanks for that! Here you go!

**Lixa:** Aaw, glad you liked that bit. Yes it was her, and I'd hug you back for saying that if I could! Thank you!

**Gevaudan: **Thank you:D Yep, born and bred Bradford lass. Well, sort of. Born in Leeds, technically, but people like to say it was Bradford. Helps to keep things simple around me, especially when thinking about my strange ability to make trouble out of the safest of situations. I'm pretty good at that. Wow, Silsden? It is indeed a small world. Hi! Thanks for reviewing!

**Sorry for the long delay. I've been very, very, _very_ busy!**

**Erm, this is where things start to get a little difficult. There are going to be a few references to past stories from here on in. Some will be taken from the TV series', and some from the Big Finish Productions stories. Mainly because it's a BIG plot point, but also because it's interesting. I hope. So anyway, you won't need to have seen or heard these to understand. I'll be explaining things as the story progresses, so you'll know everything you need to know about them to be able to follow the fic. Well, that's my intentions anyway. If it doesn't work, then I'm most sincerely sorry.**

**Reference to 'The Five Doctors', Peter Davison.**

**Reference to the Big Finish Story 'The Sirens of Time', Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy.**

**Well, now that that's out of the way…**

**Here you go!**

**

* * *

**

**Deceiving Innocence**

"So, let me get this straight," Jack garbled excitedly, for what felt like the hundredth time since she had mentioned her background. "You're manipulating Time in order to bring The Doctor here?"

"Yes!" Teri sighed, growing tired of the looping conversations.

"But, what exactly does that mean?"

"Well, I can't really explain it… Look, I reconnected the TARDIS to the Time Vortex after he landed here. Something in this atmosphere has a great tendency to cut off technology, so the TARDIS was unable to work. The link must have caused the TARDIS to be pulled from the Time Vortex during the moment of impact when it hit this atmosphere. So I've reconnected it, does that make sense?"

Jack blinked, gaping at her. Teri shook her head in an irritated fashion, sighing in a 'what can you do?' sort of way. "I take it that hasn't gone all the way in? Shall we say I gave the TARDIS a little extra kick, to make things simpler for you, Jack?"

Jack nodded, firmly, and she smiled.

"Good. Well that's the sort of thing I've been doing. The Dark Lord may have me enslaved here, but he knows nothing about who I am. So while he gets his scraps, I'm working on helping The Doctor from behind the scenes. Not that he knows anything about it, of course."

"Oh, so you're not just a pretty face, then?"

Teri snickered, but quickly turned it into a racking cough.

"Why do I get the impression you've received more than a few decent slaps from the feminine side of the Universe during your line of work, Captain Jack Harkness?" she asked airily as soon as she'd recovered.

"Oh, whatever gave you that idea?" Jack smiled, cheekily. Teri blushed as she spotted his travelling eyes and glared at him, her eyes blazing.

"I'd stop those wandering orbs of yours if I knew what was best for me," she warned. Jack smiled innocently.

"Sorry, Mademoiselle Cherlu-li-lexi-watsit."

"Tericherlula," she sighed, "My name's _Tericherlula_!"

"Yeah, that's it. Interesting name. It doesn't sound very Time Lordy, though. The Doctor… Tericherlula. Not really similar. _Unless_ he has some strange, crazy name too, but he's too embarrassed to speak it in public. Say, that's a thought. You wouldn't happen to know his real name, would ya?"

"No, sorry about that. I doubt many people know his true name, he tends to resort to disguise in public. Some old and dragged-on fear of the evil side of the Universe uncovering information to hold against him, or so I heard."

"Yeah, that sounds like The Doctor."

A crash interrupted their pleasant recollections and Teri's head shot up towards the door. Jack blinked as he noticed her sudden tense stance, as she straightened herself as best she could while encased within her bonds.

"What is it?"

She turned to him, her expression serious.

"He's coming," she muttered, shortly. Jack frowned and picked himself up too, dropping his relaxed air for a more intimidatingly professional one. Torchlight flickered beyond the bars of the distant cell door, and a low squeak announced the removal of the rusty iron bolt that was holding it shut.

A moment later, a tiny, balding man wearing scruffy, unkempt robes and a battered black cloak backed into the room, closing the door to behind him. Jack snorted as the man turned around to face them. Teri shot him a faint look of dismay before rattling her chains menacingly at the new arrival.

"My Master wishes to see you," the man squeaked.

"See who?" Jack called calmly, watching as the man moved closer, holding his right hand in a most peculiar fashion. Jack stared at it as he stopped just in front of them. The soft glow of the torchlight shone through the bars, illuminating him, and a small streak caught something silver beneath the sleeve of the dress-like clothes he was wearing. Jack gasped.

"Like my hand, do you, Captain? I polish it every day. Keeps it nice and shiny and solidly silver, and menacing enough to please The Dark Lord, you see."

"How do you know my Title, Ratboy?"

Wormtail laughed, a soft, cruel laugh that sent chills ricocheting through Jack's body, but he made no move to suggest it. He continued watching Wormtail with a politely defiant expression laced to his face. Teri shivered, but said nothing.

"Oh, we know everything about you, Jack Harkness. You were a Time Agent, were you not?"

"Dunno who your spy is, but whoever's been snitching for you has been telling you lies."

"Let's not play games, Harkness. You are of little importance around here, and you would do well to remember that."

"So why not kill me on the spot, then? If I'm so _unimportant_, why imprison me here? I'll only end up escaping and killing each and every one of you slimy creeps."

"Yeah. And you just keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better about your situation. But the truth is… no one escapes from The Dark Lord's clutches unless he allows it."

Jack could tell he was lying, and felt a smirk slide across his face at the thought.

"Your eyes betray your mouth, Ratboy. Someone does escape from 'The Dark Lord', don't they? Who is it?"

"You will find out the truth in time, Harkness. But for now, it is the girl who The Dark Lord is most interested in."

Teri glared venom at Wormtail as Jack stretched his neck across to see her face. He blinked, studying her properly for the first time since he had awoken. She was pale, thin, dried blood sticking to her now matted and filthy blonde hair, her blue eyes dull and overworked. Her hands were shaking causing the chains to rattle gently, and the deep cuts across her face and hands mixed in with the pitiful torchlight gave her a look of one returned from the grave. Jack smiled at her beauty. He somehow knew that, taken away from her current state, she would be quite an attractive young woman.

Young being the operative word in that context. 'Out of bounds' would probably have been a better way to phrase it.

Teri sighed resignedly, and fell limp against the chains. Wormtail shuffled across and raised his wand. A flash of white sparks later and Teri was on the ground, rubbing at her wrists. Jack sighed sympathetically, but said nothing as she shot a look of warning in his general direction.

He could do nothing except look on as she was shoved out of the cell door, her head low against the glaring torchlight after the blackness of their cell. The door slammed shut behind them, and Jack sighed, relaxing slightly into his own bonds as his knees protested to holding his weight for so long.

A howl of wind rattled through the stone walls as Jack stared at the floor, thinking.

So The Doctor had never left him behind, after all. Jack had died. That feeling, one of unimaginable pain as life vanished in a flash of green light, the beam burning everything within him. Then the feeling of nothing.

Just. Nothing.

Jack narrowed his eyes as he remembered the sudden painful shove, as he was slammed back into his body, his lungs inhaling air that he had thought he would never have felt again. The sudden realisation that he could move, speak, see, touch… live.

How odd. Dying hadn't felt like dying. It had hurt. Hurt like Hell, in fact. But he'd expected a little more beyond that. So if he had died, why had he returned? What had brought him back, after his life had been cut so dramatically short? Who had saved him?

Well that was easy.

The Doctor.

Jack internally kicked himself for the outburst of hatred that had blossomed at the mere thought of The Doctor ever since that fateful day. It hadn't been The Doctor's fault, and yet he, Jack, his companion and friend, had turned against his memory with only half of the facts.

So where did this Teri come into the equation? The Doctor had never mentioned her. Come to think of it, he'd never mentioned any of his travelling companions before. Jack suddenly remembered The Doctor's unexplained reluctance to talk about his home, his family. That in itself had been enough to practically convince Jack that The Doctor's planet no longer existed. And yet, here she was, a seventeen year old Time Lady, searching for the apparently only remaining member of her race.

Jack had a sudden chilling thought. She was searching for The Doctor in order to find out about her family. Did she not know that her race was dead? How would The Doctor react upon finding her?

Jack smiled at that. The meeting between Time Lord and Time Lady would be unmistakably interesting, to say the least. His heart did a back flip as that leather clad, big-eared but loveable face burst into bloom in his mind, laughing cheerfully, Rose smiling on in the background, and Jack grinned wider than ever.

He still had a family.

* * *

"_Doctor. Help me, please …_" 

"What?" The Doctor mumbled incoherently, his already weakened voice vanishing into the echoes of 'Help me' that were binding themselves around him. "Who's there?"

"_So little time, Doctor. We need you. I can only do so much. Hurry, Doctor. Please, find me._"

The soft female voice disappeared, leaving a buzzing silence in his mind in its place.

"Do you often talk to yourself, Doctor?"

_Ow!_, practically summed up the slow return of feeling that was sweeping its way through his body. He inhaled sharply and groaned in pain, recognising the mental desire to sit up, but then registering the inability to do so. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking them into focus.

"Welcome, Doctor. Nice of you to join us, at last."

The Doctor grimaced, and turned his head achingly slowly, staring through the gloom.

"Who, who's there? What's going on?" he murmured.

He suddenly remembered what had happened in the ice chamber, and cried out in shock, pushing himself to his feet without further hesitation. Falling to the ground almost immediately, he mentally hit himself for not realising straight away that pain and the lack of knowledge were usually a bad thing.

"Where's Rose? What have you done with her … whoever you are?"

The air was suddenly disturbed by an outbreak of tuts from a little way through the obscurity around him.

"Doctor, Doctor, _Doctor_! Enough with these silly questions. There is little for me to tell you, anyway."

The Doctor blinked again, his vision returning, along with the throbbing aches.

_I recognise that voice_.

"How on Earth did you survive, Doctor? An attack that big should have been enough to destroy each and every one of your regenerations in one – ahem – _bite_."

"What the Hell are you doing here?" he growled dangerously, biting back against the pain in his neck and wrists. Only now noticing his bound hands and the sharp point digging into his side, he raised himself into a sitting position, and dragged himself slowly to the edge of the dimly lit corridor, leaning back against the murky wall and watching closely the advancing shadow.

A pause.

"D'you know, Doctor, I'm not entirely sure. I somehow found myself here. Though I must say, it is a most intriguing place. I'd very much like to find out why I've been brought here, though. I suppose a small, annoying little part of me was hoping that you might be able to enlighten me as to our location."

"And why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm the one in control."

"Yes, and a fine job you've been doing so far, _Master_. Ignoring that for the moment, though, I'm curious. I could have sworn you were dead, not so long back. Tell me, when and where were you brought from?"

"About thirty seconds after vanishing from the floor of The Dark Tower. I somehow vanished from there, closing my eyes on the stone tomb floor and then opening them to a wild Icelandic room surrounded by blackened corridors and empty rooms. Why?"

The Doctor paused, searching his memory through the aches and pains, and let out a faint exclamation of surprise as he suddenly remembered a long since buried memory.

"Dear God. _Rassilon_? During my Fifth Incarnation? The five of us were together, then. Well, the five of _me_, I should say… but that was _years_ ago!"

"Was it? I thought it had been mere minutes. But then, time around you never did make much sense, Doctor."

The Doctor smiled grimly, thinking, as the Master stepped into view beside him, the thin poker in his hands digging harder and harder into The Doctor's ribs.

"And what a change you've undergone. It's quite remarkable how you appear younger after each regeneration. Or are there many between then and now? The Fifth, you say. From blonde to brown. Which incarnation have I been offered the pleasure of capturing?"

"The Tenth. Why?"

"So, it _has_ been a while since our last meeting, then. Or at least, _my_ last meeting. I presume there will be many meetings to come for us, Doctor."

"I suppose you could say that. How did you know it was me? I've only recently regenerated, so how did you know I was The Doctor and not somebody else?"

"Well, two hearts, and an attitude that anyone could spot from the word 'go'. You're one in a billion, Doctor. It was a snap, recognising your insatiable appetite for trouble. Instinct told me you'd be tied up with all of this. You usually are… Oh, and your young friend mentioning your name was quite a significant hint, as well. Just out of interest, I'm _dead_, did you say?"

"Well, so I thought. Maybe you survived, but I haven't heard from you in a _long_ while. Last I can recall, you fell into the Eye of Harmony. Oops, I don't suppose I should really have told you that." He sighed, the pain mounting higher by the minute. "You wouldn't happen to be carrying any Anadins in that black cloak of yours, would you? I'm not really feeling quite myself at the moment."

"Sorry, no."

"I thought not. And what have you done to Rose?"

The Master laughed rather wickedly and pressed the thin stick of metal ever further into The Doctor's side, causing him to flinch in pain as the throb shot straight from his waist to his bleeding neck. He gave no other signs of torment, however.

"You remember that rather curious liquid floating within your crystalline ravine, Doctor?"

"Ah, yes," The Doctor muttered, gritting his teeth against the pain as he stared directly at the Master, who was now leaning against the wall beside him, the poker held firmly in place at The Doctor's side as he tickled at his chin in defiance. The Doctor glared at him as the Master turned and smiled dangerously back. "Deceiving innocence. Who would ever have suspected a gently flowing river of lilac beauty as being the cause of unfortunates transforming into creatures of darkness?"

"Well, quite. It was a remarkable discovery on my part, I must say. I landed there, after being pulled from where we were to here. Instantly intrigued, I decided to experiment a little while I waited for a knowledge of what was going on. Well, in strolled a young girl, looking faintly panicked, too. She'd been attacked by something if the claw marks on her cheeks were anything to go by. Spotting a small collection of tiny darts and syringes, I decided to keep my position unseen by her as she ran around, shouting for someone called _Ron_. Whoever that was. I have quite an aim, when I'm in the right mind, Doctor. Good enough to hit a moving child from the other side of a deep crevice, in fact."

"Oh, that's disgusting! You harmed an innocent human being, one you _knew_ was injured and scared senseless, unaccompanied, probably unarmed, too. You did _that_ to her? She did _nothing_ to you! How could you even _consider_ doing something like that?" He paused, closed his mouth and shook his head, regretting it afterwards when the pain doubled. "Actually, don't bother answering that. I can unfortunately believe it from _you_."

"The dosage was insufficient. It was a light shot, Doctor. Find the cure and she will be fine. Now, as for you're blonde acquaintance, well, that was simply my same experiment with a little extra _oomph!_ I increased the dosage a little, and what a difference it made. She was transformed. Tethered up outside these doors, she is. She has quite a temper, Doctor. You might want to encourage her to think before she acts in future."

"Tethered up outside? … That's just … Aargh! How can you be so _heartless_! By God, you've done some despicable things during your time, but this … Why the Hell are you here?"

"As I've told you already, Doctor, I don't know. I'm, er, presuming you know little of your reasons for being here, as well."

"No, actually, I'm here for a reason. And at this current moment in time, _you_ are holding me up drastically. Now, if you don't mind, I really have to go. Nice to see you again, but -" he was immediately silenced, halfway through standing, by the rupturing skin at his waist. The warm trickle of blood seeping through his already bloodied shirt and suit jacket caused him to halt, his eyes scrunched tightly against the building pain.

"Oh, I don't think you're going anywhere, Doctor. I shall fetch your friend, shall I?" He sneered evilly, turning back at the stone door, one hand on the wall. "What was her name, again? Rose, did you say? Oh, Rose!" he sang dangerously.

A loud rumbling from the other side of the door had The Doctor rooted to the floor in shock. One clawed foot, the needle-thin nails digging through the familiar worn-down trainers, shuffled slowly forwards through the doorway, as the Master stepped obligingly aside, laughing manically. A pointed paw gripped onto the doorframe, followed slowly by a furry ear and a length of blondish curls.

"Hey again, Rose. Nice to see you looking so … erm … glowingly well," he called cheerfully as her amber eyes illuminated the darkness around him. "You're not thinking about returning for seconds, are you? Your teeth are a lot sharper than they once were, and I don't fancy pulling them from my arteries for a second time. Oh, okay, so you are still hungry, then. … Er, can you not snack on _him_ this time? I'm only just getting used to this latest body, but he's had the chance to mature into his. He'll be a lot more appetizing for you, I'm sure ... Rose? What do you think? Do you not fancy a change? Something a little different? Oh, _come on_! Where's your sense of adventure? I never realised you had anything against foreign food… although, come to think of it, when we're talking about him, I suppose I can't really blame you."

Rose seemed oblivious to his witterings, as she advanced closer towards him. The Doctor was halted as the wall behind him came into contact with his shaking shoulders, scratching against his enflamed throat.

"Alright, have it your way, then, it's not like I can really do anything to stop you, is it? You've proved that once already today. Or tonight. Or whatever time of day it is. I've lost that sense completely."

Rose was edging dangerously slowly across the gloomy hallway, her claws stretched out in front of her and her long fangs bared and blood-stained. The Doctor rubbed unconsciously at the two large holes in his neck, thinking about where the next two would be piercing him, blood clinging to his fingers as he pulled them away with a sharp gasp of pain. He blinked and stared beyond Rose at the Master who was standing just inside the stone door, the dim light from the outer corridor reflecting his cold features.

"One question, Master. How am I still alive?"

"Beats me, Doctor. I was watching safely from behind one of the ice sculptures. It was quite amusing actually, watching you hit the floor like a dead paper-weight. Most satisfying after what you've done to me over the years. Well, Rose was most obliging, and agreed to follow my lead until we reached here. That is, until she suddenly began to feel hungry at the sight of you lying dormant on the ground down there oozing your life-blood. Which is why I thought it best to keep her outside. As for you, I've only brought you along because you're my ticket out of this place. I couldn't tell you why you're still hanging around, but I must express my gratitude for your rather peculiar lust for life. I can't deny that I need you, Doctor, as much as I hate to admit it."

"_Well get her out of here then_!" The Doctor cried, backing away as quickly as he could along the wall instead, as he could no longer move backwards.

"Oh, but this is so _entertaining_, Doctor, watching you attempt to fend off your companion. Why should I cut my fun short so soon?"

"Because if she tears my body to shreds, you've got no chance of getting out of this infernal place alive, now _call her off_!"

The Master sighed deeply. "Oh, very well," he murmured. He stepped forwards, raising the poker in his hands above his head and swinging it down onto Rose's head. Rose howled in pain and fell to the floor, out cold. He lowered it, twirling it between his fingers in an irritatingly smug fashion.

"Better, Doctor?"

The Doctor lowered himself to the floor, sliding down the wall, his hearts racing. He stared with soulful eyes at the limp form at his feet, rubbing at his neck again.

"That was uncalled for."

"No it wasn't. You said stop her. That's what I did. Now, shall we get down to the business at hand?"

"And what is that?"

"You're getting me away from here, and we're leaving right now."

The Doctor laughed softly, the sound ringing around his head, around the room and into the world beyond the now closed door, disappearing through the cracks and holes around the eerily silent and black corridor. He blinked and stared at the Master, his eyes twinkling in the darkness like a cats'.

"What has amused you, Doctor?"

"Do you seriously believe I'm going to help you after everything you've done? Harming Rose is one thing, but to attack a seventeen year old girl who has shown no inclination to even speak to you is way beyond the line. I knew you had a black heart, but that kind of act is just unspeakable."

"Your opinions have been noted and will naturally be ignored, so you may as well save your breath. I fear it pains you to use too much of it in your present condition, does it not?"

"Ooh, you're unbelievable."

"Yes, I know. Now, are you going to submit your services quietly or am I going to have to resort to more _persuading_ techniques?"

The Doctor paused, considering his chances. In his current state, he could do little but assist the Master in the hopes that he could somehow find a way to bring him down later on. But first things first, he needed to repair his throat. Any more blood loss and his rather miraculous existence would be at an end before his latest adventure had even begun.

And then there was Rose.

_Oh, Rose. What am I supposed to do for you_?

"Alright, then, Master. I'll save your worthless, _wasted_ skin. If you tell me where the cure is, that is."

The Master blinked.

"The cure? The cure to what?"

"The weather," The Doctor snarled sarcastically. "What do you think? Hermione! _Rose_!"

"Oh, _that_," he sneered. "Yes, I suppose I can tell you where it is. You get me back to my TARDIS and I'll tell you where you will find the antidote to both cases. Another little discovery I made during those few interesting minutes in the ice chamber. This technology is quite remarkable, you know. I have learned much from this incredibly primitive species. They are mutants, did you know? Yes, one by one, falling through the rivers of purple, changing from what they were to what they are. Strange, wolfish creatures with an unnatural intelligence."

"How do you know that?" The Doctor asked suspiciously. "How long have you been here? I thought you said it was minutes."

"Yes, it was a few minutes. But I have a certain, shall we say, knack, for uncovering hidden secrets. Surely you've learnt that, by now, Doctor?"

The Doctor dropped his gaze to the unconscious Rose and sighed.

"Right, how you expect me to help when I'm probably seconds from dying still baffles me, but what do you want me to do?"

"Like I said. You'll be taking me back to my TARDIS. Wrap your neck up with this. It should stem the flow a little. If there's anything left in there, of course. Just get me back to my TARDIS and then you can die all you like."

"Right, thanks for that. And how am I to use my hands? You've sort of prevented that, funnily enough. Binding them with rope, grazing ten tiny holes where the once friendly Rose Tyler decided to bite me doesn't really bode well for use, does it?"

"Oh, silly me," the Master chided, stepping forwards and aggressively pulling at the ropes around The Doctor's wrists. The Doctor remained silent, a small smile playing across his lips. "There you go. Anything else I can help you with? They'll be going back on, of course. Can't have you running off, now, can we?" he called heartily, his eyes glinting with malice.

"Ooh no, we wouldn't want that, would we? Just think about what I could do in this condition! You wouldn't stand even the _remotest_ of chances against a fatally injured and completely unarmed, newly regenerated Time Lord, would you, Master?"

The Master grinned evilly, leaning against the stone wall as The Doctor fumbled numbly with the white scarf, tying it around his neck as best he could, as his fingers sent throbbing aches down along his wrists. His only-noticed-just-now head-ache was wearing off, giving him the impression that he was probably in so much pain he could no longer feel it. A disadvantage that had its advantages. He lowered his hands and examined Rose's finger-nail marks, shivering at the memory of ten needles piercing and sinking through his skin.

"Ah-ah-ah! Hands, Doctor!"

"Oh, sorry." The Doctor stepped forwards, his hands crossed behind his back as the Master strode forwards holding the length of golden rope once again. Unseen by the Master as he fiddled with the tight knots, The Doctor placed his newly acquired sonic screwdriver into his coat pocket, just before his hands were forced backwards, the coarse material scratching at his chafed wrists again. "You see how easy it is to follow orders? Rebellious behaviour scarcely wins, Doctor."

"Oh, I dunno. I've done alright so far," he called back happily, his insides secretly bubbling with guilt and pain, as he realised that the Master was referring to his refusal to obey Gallifreyan Laws. The Master didn't know. Nor would he know for a long, long time.

"Right. Off we go, then."

"Hold on! What are you going to do about Rose?"

The Master stared at Rose, and then turned to The Doctor, his eyes narrowed.

"I've given her a chain. We'll drag her along if we have to. No pun intended, of course."

"You sick, evil, twisted b-"

"You know, I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you. I suppose she's going to be both hungry and angry as soon as she wakes up, and at the moment, it is you who is listed as being 'chef's meal of the day'."

Fuming, The Doctor blinked and turned away as the Master knelt forwards and tugged on the length of metal tied around Rose's neck, the links of the chain clinking methodically. With a thunderous growl, Rose awoke and stumbled to her feet, wrenching fruitlessly at the lead, but the Master held it firmly within his grasp as he opened the door and pushed The Doctor on ahead of him, out into the corridor.

"So where's your TARDIS, then? I thought you said you awoke here? You didn't leave in the TARDIS that day, you were zapped away by Rassilon himself. Ingenious bloke, really."

"Why, thank you, Doctor."

"I-I didn't mean-"

"You see, I've told you a little white lie, Doctor. I _actually_ awoke in my TARDIS. But it was already on pre-set co-ordinates. Everything was blocked, and I was being pulled here, no information, no images, nothing. And as quickly as it started, it stopped, and I was here."

"Why do I get the feeling that's only -"

"Half of the story? Well, Doctor," the Master said, laughing, "that's something you're just going to have to find out for yourself. You'll know soon enough, not that you'll have the chance to do anything about it, of course. No. You are going to repair my TARDIS, and I will be leaving this place promptly. And then, whatever you do next will be down to you."

"Repair your TARDIS? You never said -"

"I didn't say a lot, did I, Doctor? Now hush, follow your companion, she seems to know where she's going."

Rose growled impatiently back, baring her teeth at the Master who simply rattled the chain around her neck as a jockey would to speed up his horse.

"Erm, I, er. I wouldn't do that if I -"

"Finish that sentence and I swear I will not rest until our young pet, here, has ripped your hearts from your very chest."

"I'm getting pretty sick and tired of -"

"Me interrupting you and finishing your sentences for you? Yes, I thought you might be."

"_Will you pack it in_?" The Doctor called angrily, stopping in his tracks to turn and glare at the Master, who simply smiled wickedly back.

"Oh, this is going to be a lot of fun, isn't it, Doctor?" he sighed, gleefully.

"Oh yeah, it's gonna be a right laugh!" he shot back, his voice laced with venomous sarcasm. Rose let out a murderous snarl and stopped abruptly, her orange eyes gazing through the dim light into the blackness beyond. The Master rattled once again at her lead impatiently, and she snapped, hurtling around and throwing herself into his path, her teeth and claws bared once more. The Doctor jumped to the side and stared at her in shock.

"What is it, Rose? Hell, I sound like I'm talking to a dog," he added sympathetically. "Sorry, don't want to offend you, or anything."

Rose skidded to a halt just before them and turned to face him. The Doctor paled, sweat breaking out on his forehead as her penetrating gaze swept over him, but he stood his ground.

Slowly, a gentle rumbling moan left her throat as she turned to watch the corridor ahead of them. She glanced at him meaningfully, her eyes wide, and he watched her with awe. She seemed to recognise him. The Master stepped back, pushing The Doctor in front as Rose began to whimper softly, her entire body shaking. The Doctor sighed, his hearts racing faster than a moving train as he took the matter into his own bound hands.

A ragged, high-pitched breathing from up ahead sent the little colour still visible within his white cheeks draining away into nothing.

"Er, Hello," he called nervously into the black void beyond them. "Why do I get the impression it's going to be a lot more comfortable standing here in the dark, _unable_ to see you, than it will be when you come forward enough so that we _can_ see you? And why do I have a strange habit of making long speeches out of the simplest of statements? There I go again. Yes, not the time, sorry. Anyway, you weren't going to allow us to pass by you, by any chance? Pretend we weren't here, and all that?"

The heavy breathing suddenly stopped, to be replaced by a soft sound. A high, tinnily robotic, echoingly hypnotic sound.

A sound that he was sure he had heard before.

"Someone clearly doesn't want us to reach the higher authorities," he muttered vaguely, watching as the softly glowing outline of Knight Commander Lyena, flanked by two smiling bodyguards, stepped into view. The striking features of an almost beautiful enemy were burning into his eyes, his head on overload as the aches and throbs from almost every part of his body decided to take that oppurtunity to increase in pitch and strength. Another creature, her very presence speaking of innocence and virtue, with a disguise well crafted to suit her purpose.

"We are the Sirens of Time," she spoke quietly, her voice ethereal, just as he remembered it. Three seperate Doctors had encountered the Sirens on one, mind-boggling occasion. And they had never been heard from again. Well, until now, it seemed.

_Something remarkably unexplainable is going on here. How are phantoms from a long-ago past materializing underground, in a time when witches and wizards are the only strange phenomena around? No aliens, no signs of invasions. Simply a hidden race, and yet so many creatures from my own past are assembling below the Earth without so much as a hint as to a suitable explanation. What the Hell's going on around here?_

The goose bumps erupting over his arms were proof enough of his shock. 

"Yes, I do believe I remember you. How long it's been," he whispered, the false cheeriness cutting through him painfully. He fell silent, staring, as he remembered his last encounter with a long since forgotten enemy.

"You will not succeed, Doctor. You are alone, this time. Once before we have met, face to faces. Three most peculiar incarnations, they were. But this time, it is but you and me."

"So you're not going to be letting us pass by you, then. I somehow thought that might be the case."

"Friends of yours, Doctor?" the Master called curiously, watching the figures ahead through narrowed eyes. Rose shuffled backwards, shrinking into the shadows beside the wall, her nails twanging against the floor as her growls reverberated around the black corridors.

"Erm. No," he murmured faintly as he began to back slowly away, stopping with a jump of fright as he stumbled blindly over a loose stone digging out through the floor.

"Oh, but look, Doctor. We have brought company. You will remember The Temperon, will you not?" The Doctor smiled apologetically as the huge, towering beast lumbered clumsily forwards through the darkness, stopping just behind the Sirens. How it could fit inside their corridor The Doctor did not know. Nor was he up for finding out.

"Hi," he called up. No reply. "Okay, then." He lowered his gaze to the three Sirens standing in front of him, all of which were smiling.

"He is bound to us, once again," Lyena continued, looking very pleased with herself. "And how happy he is to see you. As much as I know you would so enjoy a chance to become reacquainted once more, I'm afraid you are out of time. There is no escape for you. Goodbye, Doctor."

* * *

"D'you think we lost them?" Fred panted, clutching at his chest and gasping for breath. 

"Well, it's quiet. Almost too quiet," Ginny breathed, tearing at a stitch in her side.

"Yeah, that's why I'm worried. Silence is never a good thing," George muttered, gazing along the corridor ahead of them, as Fred took charge of guarding their backs.

"Now _that_ I can believe with you two," Harry smiled. _Lumos_! "The loudest of the loud, you are. Silence must be your worst enemy."

The twins sniggered as they continued to strain their eyes against the gloom, Harry's wand light illuminating precious little around them.

"Did you hear that?" Ginny muttered, holding her hands up in an attempt to silence them.

"What?" Harry whispered back, crouching for a reason as yet unknown to him. He stared at her questioningly, as she stared ahead, following the thin beam of light into the not so distant distance.

"A sort of … shuffling. Like someone stirring."

"Can't hear nothing," George said after a moment's pause.

"Nope, not a sound. You sure you're not hearing -" but Fred's question was cut short by a sharp intake of breath from the floor a little way ahead of them, just beyond the rays of light.

"No, Fred. I don't believe I am hearing things."

"No, Ginny. I don't suppose you are," he muttered back, his fingers curling around his wand as he spoke.

Harry frowned, passed his lit wand across to Ginny, who took it with raised eyebrows, and walked cautiously forwards, vanishing into the blackness beyond the soft glow of golden light.

"Erm, Harry? Don't you think handing over your wand before walking off into the ether was a bit of a stupid thing to do?" George called, his voice as hushed as he could make it without clamping a hand over his mouth.

"No."

George blinked and turned to Fred. "Well, ask a silly question," he muttered. Fred shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"Erm, guys?"

"What is it?"

Harry walked back, his face pale, and his eyes wide. Three sibling hearts dropped into three sibling stomachs as he took back his wand and strengthened its light, directing the beam at a small, rousing heap on the ground. A heap with a tuft of red hair.

"It's Ron."

* * *

**Why do I feel like I've just stepped out of the frying pan and into the fire? Maybe this wasn't such a good idea …**

**Longest Chapter so far, too.**

**I'd like reviews, if I haven't put you off so much that you're going to abandon me now. Sorry 'bout that if I have.**

**…**


	17. Prisoners and Escapees

**So many reviews from you! OMG! I love you all so much! Thank you and cookies to everyone! xXxXxXx**

**Thank you shouts to Tai Greywing, Marcus S Lazarus, gatermage, AmyAmidala, The Doctor's Tenth Companion, Sacharrissa, timano, rosetylerrox, Sands of Patience, rabid-x-llamas, CommodoreNorrington's Lovin Wife, and anglstrmoon!**

**LittleGinny15: **Crikey, how many names do you like to go by? Oh, but creativity, of course, and it kills repetitive boredom, so yeah, I see your reasons behind that. :D Sorry 'bout your Rose query, I'll try to fit in her cure somewhere before the final chapter, promise! Thank you again! Love ya lots! xXx

**DoobreyFerkin: **Nothing wrong with passing-by. Do it myself from time to time, too… And never mind bout the critique comment, I can honestly say I don't mind a bit! ;) Thanks a lot and here's your update!

**Addictedtofantasy: **Thank you! Glad you like! And glad I'm not the only one who's been searching for a crossover, I was starting to worry that I had obsession issues when I couldn't find any. Now I can sleep in peace… Thanks again!

**Lesslyn:** Thanksies and thanksies to ya! Yeah, I love Peter, too. There's a little uncertainty between my fave Doc being the fifth or the tenth. Can't make my mind up on that. Anywho, glad you're still enjoying it! Here's more for you!

**Hanna da spanna: **Thank you, thank you, _thank you_! Glad someone agrees with me on that ;)

**Thanks again, and here you go! xXx**

**

* * *

**

**Prisoners and Escapees**

"Doctor, you are going to get us out of this, aren't you?" the Master muttered matter-of-factly as the Temperon shuffled forwards, growling threateningly.

"Give me an idea on how I'm going to manage that and I'll happily put it into practice," The Doctor replied, calmly, staring at the advancing beast with wide eyes. He pushed his way back, Rose bumping along with him as she struggled against the Master's chains, clearly wanting to bolt.

_Most unlike Rose… but then again, under the circumstances…_

"No escape, Doctor," Lyena said, grinning. "Your other selves saved you, once. But there's no-one to come to your rescue this time."

The Doctor had been thinking along the same lines, as he glanced desperately over his shoulder at the Master, who was contemplating Rose's sharp teeth, then studying the Temperon's.

"Don't you even _consider_ setting Rose onto it! She wouldn't stand a chance!" he ordered, shaking his head violently as he continued to stumble backwards.

His feet nudged the protruding stone once again, and this time he lost his balance, falling on top of it with a soft cry of surprise. He hissed in pain as his hands hit it first, but was saved finding a way to stumble to his feet when the stone fell through the floor, leaving a gaping hole in its place and causing the ground to disappear from beneath him.

The outraged roars of the Sirens echoed down after him, before disappearing into Rose's howls and screeches of terror and the Master's cries of shock. All coupled together like an out-of-tune choir, his head thumped dangerously as the howling wind whipped at his clothes.

_Not good. Really not good. Oh, not good at all_.

* * *

"Oh my God, _Ron_!" Ginny screeched as she darted forwards, flinging herself down beside him. "Ron, wake up! What happened?" 

Ron groaned and sat up slowly, his eyes falling unfocused on a point some three feet over Ginny's shoulder. She placed a shaking hand on his forehead, before checking his heart rate. The twins kept back, half guarding, half watching with uncharacteristic concern. Harry knelt on Ron's other side, a steady hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, my head," Ron grumbled, his eyes sliding in and out of focus. He blinked a few times, then stared at Ginny's flushed face, taking in her almost tearful expression with a look of mingled surprise and concern. "Hiya, Gin, what's the matter?"

Ginny and Harry swapped an incredulous look as the twins stepped up behind them, staring at Ron, who stared curiously back.

"Are we all sat in the dark for a reason, guys?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.

Harry shuffled slowly forwards, into clearer view, unable to hide his shock.

"Er, Ron? Do you know what's going on?" he asked, nervously.

"'Course I do! We're clearing out the garage! Come on, Harry, any fool can see we're in dad's garage. Though it looks like we've finished, seeing as how there's nothing left in here… must have banged my head on a shelf, or something…" and he lapsed into silence, rubbing his head.

Ginny felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as she reached for Ron's hand.

"Ron," she whispered, staring intently at him. "We're in the Underworld."

Ron blinked, gazing back, his eyes still oddly misted. He paused.

"Nah, don't be ridiculous, Gin! Why on Earth would we be there? Underworld, indeed."

"Take a look around, little bro," Fred called suddenly, glancing nervously at George who was watching Ron with a wide-eyed look of disbelief plastered to his face.

"But there's nothing to look at," Ron replied, frowning, as he stared at Fred as though he was crazy for suggesting something so ludicrous.

"He's lost it," George murmured, shaking his head.

"Ron, listen to me," Harry spoke up, a sharp edge to his words as he stared intently at his best friend. "We're in the Underworld. We're here to find out about Voldemort's Horcruxes. We're here with The Doctor and Rose, and we split up into groups of two to search about down here for someone with even the slightest clue about what's going on with this endless war. You went with Hermione, remember?"

"Hermione…" Ron muttered, gazing at the black wall behind Harry. His eyes widened in horror as something clicked into place. He gasped and stumbled desperately to his feet, leaning against Harry for support as he struggled to find his footing. "God,_ Hermione_!"

"What? What's wrong, Ron? What about Hermione? Where is she?" Ginny asked desperately.

"We, we were attacked, these weird things," he whispered wildly, urgently. "Strange, awful, wolfish things with sharp teeth. There were two of them, the same corridor as us, and one attacked Hermione, but I managed to pull her free. We were running, down one corridor, then up another, then we sort of doubled back a bit, thinking we could shake 'em off, but they'd tracked us. There was a fork ahead of us, and I lost 'Mione there, she must have gone the wrong way, but the two things decided to follow me instead of her. She must still be wandering around on her own, somewhere. I managed to shake those things off, but I sort of… dropped down here. Don't know what happened, the rest's a blank."

Harry squinted up through the darkness at the ceiling, thinking.

"Gin, give me a leg up," he muttered hurriedly, passing his wand to Ron, who took that as a cue to take out his own, as well. Ginny stepped forwards, her eyebrows raised, but obliged, taking a hold of Harry's foot as he pushed himself up, clinging onto her shoulder to balance himself.

"What're you looking for?" she groaned as she struggled against his weight.

"An opening," he muttered vaguely, his hands skirting over the wet surface of the stone ceiling. "Aha!" he called as his right hand disappeared into nothing. The lack of a supporting surface caused him to lose his balance, and Ginny fell to the ground below him, her own legs giving way as his dropped a few inches backwards.

"Ow," she grumbled, rubbing her back as she clambered once again to her feet. Fred and George snickered, and even Ron couldn't restrain a smile, despite his unease. Harry stood up again and reached for her hand, pulling her straight, then tilted his head back to stare at the area of complete blackness above his head, the place where the opening was.

"You fell through that, Ron. Must have hit your head, or something, when you landed. Do you know how long you were out for?"

"Not a clue, but we need to get back up there. We've got to find Hermione."

"Agree whole-heartedly with you there, Ron. But how we're going to do it, I have no idea. Maybe if we -"

The rest of Harry's sentence was drowned out by a loud chorus of indignant and horrified shrieks coming from the vast black void above their heads. Five teenage wizards tilted back their heads, staring in shock as three black and screaming shapes tumbled down through the hole, only deciding to move aside to avoid being hit when they realised the speed at which their company was falling. Harry raised his wand and with one movement, slowed their descent.

As the three figures hit the ground, silencing the cries immediately, Ginny let loose an intensely relieved sigh and shot forwards, running to the one figure she recognised, the one wearing the pinstriped suit.

Only to wish she'd stayed back as she took in his somewhat mangled appearance. Her screams were enough to shake the very foundations on which they stood. The twins, Harry and Ron backed away slowly into the wall, staring in horror, as blood began to soak the floor beneath them.

* * *

Almost four hours had past since Teri had been ushered unwillingly from Jack's company. He had fallen into a light doze as he waited, his mind slipping unconsciously into long, blackened corridors surrounded by locked doors and screaming walls. _Not the most pleasant of environments_, he admitted to himself, as he wandered aimlessly down one corridor to his left, following a faint scent of lavender and honeysuckle. His feet stopped him beside a wrought iron gate and he paused, considering it, the sweet scent building in strength, before reaching a tentative hand towards it and gripping the ring. 

He tugged.

Nothing.

Placing his entire weight behind the rusty handle, he pulled hard at it, earning a slight budge before his strength abandoned him and gravity pulled it back into place. He sighed, thinking. Maybe he could push it instead? He smiled expectantly, reached forwards, his fingertips inches from the rusty iron ring, his breath catching in his throat, the softly gentle and inviting smell wafting happily through his nostrils from the other side of the gate…

_Crash_!

The cell doors burst open and Teri was thrown face first onto the cold stone floor, her head connecting with the ground with a loud _crack_ as Jack started back to the land of the living.

"Teri!" he cried as she remained motionless. A Dementor glided silently in after her, bringing with it the icy chill and haunting images of a green beam of light being consumed by total and complete blackness. It pulled her soundlessly to her feet, dragging her back to the wall and placing her again in the chains hanging beside Jack. He gasped as the little flickering flame light from the outer corridor illuminated her face. She looked completely drained, exhausted, broken. Jack felt hatred bleed through his veins as the Dementor's rattling breaths quietened as it swept from the room, slamming the door behind it.

Jack rattled desperately at his chains, the tinny sound echoing eerily around the chamber. "Teri? Teri, wake up!" he whispered desperately. Straining against his bonds, he stretched forwards with the leg closer to her and tried to touch her. Wincing as his foot connected with her knee, he sighed with relief when she gasped and turned to him, tears flowing freely and glistening against the blackness. "Teri, what the Hell did they do to you?"

"I've seen him, Jack!" she wailed. "I don't think he's going to survive long enough to find us!"

"Wait, wait a minute, you've seen who?"

"I've seen him, and he looks dreadful! I've saved him as best I can, but I don't think it's going to be enough!"

"You've seen The Doctor? How? Why?" Jack's heart was pounding as he shouted desperately, trying to make sense of her words.

"He needed my help, he was dying, so I gave him a new leash of life, he's alive, but in such a terrible condition, and now it's even worse!" she sobbed, shaking. "The Dark Lord knows he's here! He's the reason The Doctor's injured! They were working through my mind again, trying to find another creature to use, but they found my memories, instead, they saw me helping The Doctor, saw me reconnect the TARDIS so he could move, they saw his face, and I was taken into another room… such strange, strange equipment I've never seen, but they completely ignored my thoughts when they rigged me up, they focused on his face instead and then somehow used that to dig up so much about his past. A man, dunno who he was but he had an awful sneer on his face. I think he was a Time Lord, but I can't be sure… they sent this guy and some other strange creatures to stop him from saving us, and it's worked! He's hurting so much, I did all I could to help his pain while they had me, but as soon as they realised what it was I was doing, they cut my connection!"

Jack gaped at her, not sure if he had understood what she had said or was simply refusing to make complete sense of it.

"Just breaking that down," he muttered, frowning, "The Dark Lord found a memory of you helping The Doctor, realised he was a danger and sent you for another scan to determine things about him, and then sent a dude from his past to stop him from finding you… Right, ok, that makes sense, I think… How have you had a connection with him?" he asked in awe.

"We're both Time Lords, aren't we?" she replied softly, her tears melting away into nothing as her eyes decided she could cry know longer. "It's not always a physical connection, but there is _something_ there between us. The trouble is, I'm sure it's only a one way connection, so I don't suppose he knows about it."

"This is bizarre," Jack muttered. "This morning I was, well it all seems so long ago, now. And to think, all of this happened simply because I fell through some strange hole on floor five hundred…"

Silence.

"Yes, Jack, that's something I need you to tell me about," Teri said after a moment's pause. Jack blinked and stared at her.

"What is?" he asked.

"How did you get here?"

Jack paused, thinking. "Well, I was carrying some equipment to one of the repair droids on deck, but this huge hole appeared in the wall of the ship and I was sucked through it into this _huge_, black abyss… Then I landed in a room full of hooded creeps who were talking to a guy with red eyes sitting in a great big chair in the middle of this wide, marble hall. Like a throne room, it was _massive_! And so cold, too… Anyway, they all turned on me at the same time, then I can't remember what happened after that until I woke up in here… The guy with red eyes, that was The Dark Lord, wasn't it?"

Teri nodded resignedly and fell limp, sniffling quietly as the days' events caught up with her.

"I brought him here in the hopes of finding freedom, but I think I'm just making things worse by dragging him into this. I should have left things as they were. Curiosity killed the cat… well, it's certainly doing that, now."

"Hey, come on, now, I feel a little better knowing The Doctor's involved. It just tells me there's a chance we can get out of this. Alright, I admit, the fact that you've let them know our Hero's around and kicking is a bit of a spirit crusher, but still, as long as he's alive, there's hope."

Teri straightened up, her face set, glaring at the cell doors with pure hatred.

"We have _got_ to get out of here, Jack," she said quietly.

"Yep, and I think it's about time we did exactly that. I'm getting bored with the same décor, if I'm honest. And if I meet our friend again, I'll have to give him the number of my decorator."

Teri smiled and dropped her gaze to the shackles around her wrists.

"Right, early seventeenth century metal, rusting and aged but still relatively well maintained. I gather from what we know so far these guys are highly skilled in magic. Which is why these things can hold us even in such a rusty condition. But everything has a weakness, we just need to exploit it and use it to our advantage."

"Are you referring to our witches and wizards problem or these manacles?"

"Both, at the moment."

"Right, well, I've got a laser gun in my right pocket if you can reach it, but it's a little out of my reach at the moment," he mumbled sarcastically. Jack sighed as Teri slumped forwards, frowning, her face scrunched up in concentration. "Forget it, Teri, we're stuck. We'll just have to wait until one of us is called for again, then try to make an escape plan that could actually work then."

A loud _zap_ followed by the clink of falling chains interrupted his rant, and he let out a vehement gasp of surprise.

"Hold still and stop your babbling, Jack," Teri said as she pointed the laser gun at his bound wrists. Jack blinked and his eyes adjusted to see her standing in front of him, smiling, before he hit the floor as his hands were disconnected from the wall.

"Oh my God," he gasped, blinking viciously. "How the Hell did you manage that?"

Teri flashed him a knowing smile as she reached forwards and pulled him to his feet.

"Just a little power I've been working on over the last decade or so."

"Well, why couldn't you have used it before?" he spluttered, gaping like a fish out of water as a faint blush rose in her cheeks.

"I didn't know you had any weapons, did I?" she exclaimed defensively.

Jack simply stared. She blinked and turned away, talking quickly and quietly in the hopes of finding an escape route while he was distracted.

"It's helped me a lot, over the years, though not nearly as much as it has today. I suppose it's genetic, but I'm not certain on that. From books I've read, Telekinesis is a power that's passed down through generations, family member to family member, so at least one of my parents must have possessed it. Or grandparents. Why I've never had the chance to ask or had someone to tell me about it is probably the reason I'm looking for The Doctor. When I discovered I had telekinetic powers, there was no-one to tell me about them or how I should use or control them, no-one to turn to. Until one name cropped up: The Doctor."

Jack shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat. Teri frowned at his unease as she'd mentioned The Doctor, but didn't press the matter as he patted the laser gun fatherly after she'd passed it across to him again.

"Right. Now what?" he said.

"Now, we find The Doctor," she replied, her face set. Jack nodded and straightened the gun, directing it at the cell door as they edged towards it.

* * *

"Christ, he looks _terrible_!" Fred muttered. Harry blinked away his shock and ran forwards, dropping onto his knees beside The Doctor as Ginny crouched down on his other side. 

"What could have _done_ that?" she whispered tearfully as she reached for his hands, untying them and throwing the rope over her shoulder.

Cold. Freezing cold. His hands were so cold she felt the biting chill of a harsh winter seep through her own fingers, rooting her to the spot.

"I dunno," he muttered vaguely. "Doctor?"

"Hey, Harry, how ya been?" The Doctor slurred back, blinking.

"Oh, you're awake. Sorry I said that," Fred called across, "I didn't mean to offend you, or anything. Just a bit shocked, that's all!"

"Don't worry about it, and in answer to your question, Ginny: Rose could have done this."

The stunned silence was broken by a low growl to Harry's left, and he blinked and looked up. The blonde figure was stirring, too, and he pushed himself to his feet, walking slowly towards her.

"NO!" The Doctor shouted desperately. "Harry, stay back!"

Harry halted and turned to stare questioningly at him, as The Doctor dragged himself upright, swaying slightly. He refocused his vision and walked towards Rose.

As he fell to his knees beside her, Harry, Ron and Ginny approaching cautiously as they stared in disbelief, she opened her eyes and whimpered, arching her back in pain.

"Hey, hush, steady a minute, Rose," The Doctor murmured gently as he placed a shaking hand on her shoulder.

"What's happened to her?" Ginny whispered fearfully. The Doctor spared her a glance before turning back to Rose as she growled in pain.

"Wait here," he muttered to her, squeezing her shoulder gently. He pulled himself to his feet again and wandered across to the Master, who was leaning against the wall, watching with a grim look on his face.

"Where's the cure?" he muttered dangerously, as he stopped directly in front of him.

"That wasn't the deal," the Master shot back, glaring.

"_To Hell with the Goddamn deal_!" he roared, his hands curling into fists as his eyes narrowed. "You have my word that I will get you out of here, but I _need_ that cure first! She can't move, for God's Sake! Look at the state of her!"

"Would this be it?" came a timidly hopeful voice. The Doctor blinked and spotted Ron shuffling forwards, watching him, his hand outstretched.

"_Ron_!" he breathed, stumbling forwards. "Thank God! We found Hermione, but you were nowhere -"

"_You found Hermione_? Where is she?"

The Doctor pointed at the ceiling, shaking his head sadly. Ron nodded in understanding and passed across a small vial of orange liquid, his hand trembling. The Doctor took it, frowning, as the Master hissed with rage. Harry whipped out his wand and pointed it at the Master's heart, his face set.

"One move!" he threatened.

"Where did you find this?" The Doctor muttered distractedly as he raised the vial to eye level, scrutinising it carefully.

"Hermione uncovered it, from a small hole in one of the walls we passed before we were separated. A little nook, it was wedged between two large rocks, almost out of sight. Is it the right one?"

"I don't know, but I suppose there's only one way to find out," he murmured. He turned to the Master, watching him carefully. "This is it, isn't it?"

The Master blinked furiously and dropped his gaze, unable to move as another four wands around him imitated Harry's.

"Yes, I thought so. In a bit of a hurry to hide it, were you? Or was something else attracting your attention? I know you've got something to do with all of this, but how you're involved I have no idea. I promise you I will find out, though," he murmured threateningly.

Ginny cleared her throat and tugged lightly on his sleeve, quickly withdrawing her hand and rubbing vigorously at the blood that had left with it. The Doctor held his gaze for a second before turning to her, and walking back across to Rose.

"Right then, no time like the present. Here you go, Rose," he murmured as he pulled the stopper from the vial and tilted it over her mouth. Remembering Hermione's condition, he killed his hand's movement before he had used a quarter of it, replacing the stopper and sliding it carefully into his breast pocket.

And they waited.

* * *

"My Lord... the prisoners have escaped." 

A howl of rage reverberated around the great, stone room, leaving a slightly metallic taste clinging fitfully to the air.

"_No_! How is that possible!" he spat, shaking his head furiously.

Wormtail shuffled ever so slightly backwards, trembling, as he continued to keep his stooped position as straight and proud as possible.

"We don't know, My Lord. It is possible they had outside help, or perhaps they weren't as unarmed as we had first thought."

"Elementary skills that should not have been overlooked, Wormtail! Did you not check before you interrogated them?"

"Yes, sir, but the Dementors are becoming restless. They want payment, and are losing focus of the matters at hand. There is a chance that by the end of the week, they will abandon us -"

"- And my empire will fall flat before we have even begun," Voldemort finished, his words slicing like sharp knives. "I _will not_ let that happen, Wormtail, do you understand? This evening we have placed the final wheels into motion. By testing that machine, my plans have been correctly adjusted and can now enter into the final phase. _But we must get her back_!"

"Yes, My Lord, we are working on it, but you do know she is of alien origin. And she has intellectual skills to rival your own, rival Dumbledore's even!"

"You will kindly refrain from mentioning that name again in my presence, Wormtail. It displeases me."

"My apologies, My Lord, but I am merely trying to convince you to see just how big a problem we are facing. She is incredibly gifted for such a young age, and I fear we have only given her an extra weapon by handing over Jack Harkness; he has faced his own share of problems with similar circumstances over the years."

"The man is unimportant. Find and dispose of him and that problem will be easily solved. The Girl, however… it is imperative that we bring her back, Wormtail. If this 'Doctor' should discover us, our plans will be ruined. From what I could detect from her memories of him, –which were offensively limited, I might add, - he has power way beyond anything mankind ever known. Another poor, lost soul who believes this battle between good and evil can only have a fairy-tale ending. He must be disposed of, Wormtail, or at least thrown off track. Preferably the former, of course."

Wormtail paused, frowning, his back aching slightly from his prolonged bowing gesture.

"But I thought you'd already sorted that, My Lord? You sent the Master to deal with him for you. Admittedly beyond my understanding, but certainly a solution!"

"Ahh, but that's the thing, Wormtail!" he exclaimed, tapping the arms of his chair affectionately. "This whole _situation_ is beyond your understanding! If you had been paying attention at the time, you would have known that I didn't send the Master to 'deal with him'. I would much rather undertake _that_ delightful task myself. In person."

"I, I don't understand, My Lord," Wormtail muttered, the crease of his brow becoming painful as it failed to be eased.

"No, I don't expect you do, do you?" he sneered. "Still that is beside the point._ I_ know what I am doing and that is the main thing, isn't it? You will simply follow your orders, and find both Harkness and the girl. Kill Jack all you like, but the girl will be brought before me unharmed. Any more mistakes and I will be handing out _painful_ repercussions to you in her place, Wormtail. You have been warned."

"Yes, My Lord."

Voldemort nodded curtly, and Wormtail bowed even lower, sweat coating his brow as he straightened up again. He shuffled as quickly from the room as he could without looking suspicious, closing the door to the vast hall with a snap behind him. Voldemort straightened in his chair, staring at the door, a small smile breaking his lopsided features as the flickering candlelight from the brackets on the wall beside him illuminated his fathomless red eyes.

"Yes, one more attack and her barriers will snap. And then, we shall see who is all powerful, _Doctor_."

A soft, snickering laugh echoed eerily around the room, as he waved a hand once, abruptly plunging the hall into an unnatural darkness.

* * *

**Hmm, not my favourite, but it's pushing things along, slowly but surely…**

**Yes, I know I say it all the time, but I'll work on updating a little quicker. Sorry about that, but you know, school, exams, piano lessons, movies, television, social lives… school…**

**As ever, thank you and please review!**

**Misshaunted xXx**


	18. Fight and Flight

**Thanks to The Doctor's Tenth Companion, Tai Greywing, AmyAmidala, daffodilTARDIS, rosetylerrox, The Opera Ghostess (Good luck with yours!) and (Huge thanks) Marcus S. Lazarus. **

**LittleGinny15: **Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you! And poor you! Glad I could help! Hope you feel better! Wouldn't trust stuff from the doctor's myself (unless it's the one Doctor I actually LIKE, of course ;)), but I suppose they are only there to help. The fact that they scare me senseless must just be an irresolvable problem, or something… Ahem, Thank you!

**Lesslyn:** Aaw, that's a great idea. Why didn't I think of that? Trinny and Susanna… lol! Hmm, I suppose you're right, it does solve a bit that'd be kinda crucial to the plot, so I suppose I can't complain too much. Thanks a lot!

**Doobrey Ferkin: **I've just finished mine, thank God. Hell, it was. Good luck with yours! Awful things, exams, but I suppose they're a little important… Thank you! Here's your update!

**Disclaimer (again): I'm eighteen chapters in, now. Still not mine…**

**Reference to 'Carnival of Monsters', Jon Pertwee.**

**Just want to say a HUGE thanks to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers for supporting me, and for sticking with me for so long; it really does mean so much! Here's your update, guys!**

**

* * *

**

**Fight and Flight**

"Christ, it's _freezing_ down 'ere! And so black!"

"Do you have to complain so much? You'll have us caught, you will!"

"Sorry, Your Ladyship," Jack mumbled, sticking out his tongue at her back. She tensed slightly, staring ahead as a loud clap of thunder echoed around them.

"And I saw that," she whispered back. Jack grinned.

"You were supposed to," he smiled. "Want me to go first?"

Teri paused; trying to adjust her eyes to the intense blackness around them, then shook her head a fraction. "No, I'm fine, thanks. Just keep your trap shut, please, I'm trying to concentrate."

"On what?" he exclaimed, a little too loud. She hushed him exasperatedly and he blushed. "Sorry, I mean, on what?" he whispered.

"Finding the exit," she murmured, deciding that closing her eyes in an attempt to sense a way out would make no difference to her line of vision. _If anything I'll probably be able to see better._

Jack sighed and shuffled past her slightly; blinking through the gloom into the corridor they had arrived at. On either side, he could just about make out the outlines of doors, each one accompanied by its own unlit torch sitting frozen within wall brackets.

As a peculiar memory wormed its way into his mind, he snickered. Teri tutted at the sound and opened her eyes, glaring at him.

"What?" she muttered, watching his shadow through narrowed eyes. Jack's eyes were twinkling mischievously as he attempted to smother his laughter.

"Oh nothing, just a tv program that this hallway reminds me of. Ever heard of Scooby-Doo?"

Teri shook her head, studying him dubiously. "No, why?"

"Oh, it's a rather clichéd thing, I'm afraid. Monsters Inc'd be running up and down through corridors full of doors, chasing monsters, only to leave another door in the same corridor and end up chasing each other instead of who they were supposed to be chasing." He snorted, and shook his head, overcome again. Teri shook her own head and brushed past him, frowning.

"Hmm, never was a tele-fanatic, I'm afraid, Jack. Don't have a lot of time for watching kids programs, these days."

"Oh, shame. It's a classic."

"Hmm," she murmured again, only half listening as they followed the wall through the blackness. "You know, I'm _sure_ the exit's around here somewhere!"

"And how do you know that? We could be heading back towards the Dungeons for all we know. I can't see a damn thing in here. Are you sure you can't telekinetically grab a pen-torch, or something?"

"Yes, Jack, I'll do it right now!" she snapped sarcastically, stopping in her tracks to turn and glare at him. Jack grinned apologetically.

"Not in the mood, I understand. Sorry, I'll be quiet," he said, studying her.

"Thank you," she replied, shortly, setting off again. They continued through the corridor in silence, occasionally swinging open one of the doors as their hands connected with the brass handles, at other times stumbling as the door they had attempted to open remained firmly locked. After about a minute, Teri stopped again, stamping her foot in agitation.

"Oh this is bloody ridiculous," she muttered, annoyed. "I'm positive I sensed a way out down this way, so where the Hell is it? Door after door after door -"

"-And you expect a flashing sign above one of them to say 'Congratulations! You stand mere yards from Daylight!'?"

"No, I didn't mean that, it's just that each time I sense it, the feeling moves. It's like it's running away from us. We move forwards towards it, and it runs on ahead."

Jack snorted. "Yeah, ok then, and that's a perfectly logical explanation, Teri."

"Well, we _are_ in some sort of wizard-inhabited world, Jack, why not have moving doors? I suspect it's a pretty ordinary thing to have around here."

Jack frowned at her, thinking.

"Are you actually serious about there being witches and wizards here? I never believed in them, and I don't know if I've converted, yet. It just seems so fanciful, black cats and cauldrons. I thought you were joking, to be honest."

"No, they're real, Jack. From what went on in that Interrogation Chamber, they're real, flesh and blood wizards. And they're anything but benevolent."

"Benevawhat?"

"_Friendly_, Jack. _Honestly_!" Teri sighed, exasperated. She suddenly stumbled to a halt, Jack walking unkindly into her back and knocking her a few steps forwards.

"What is it?" he whispered, his heart racing as he watched her pale slightly.

"There's someone down there," she mouthed at him. Jack blinked and nodded, straightening his arm and aiming the gun at the end of the corridor.

"Where?" he mouthed back, frowning. Teri pointed, her arms visibly shaking as she pressed herself against the wall, falling still. Jack arranged himself so that he was standing directly in front of Teri, his gun covering them. He glanced warily over his shoulder as s rustle of movement caught his senses, but there was nothing behind them.

"Right, forget the exit, Jack, we can't find it. We have to get to my TARDIS," Teri whispered urgently. "Dunno why I didn't think of that before, actually. Must be an after-shock." Jack turned back to the moving shadow in front of them, and nodded.

"Where is it?" he muttered out of the corner of his mouth, never lifting his eyes from the advancing creature.

"The Throne Room," she muttered back. "Or at least, that's where I landed. It could have been moved since then."

"Right, and do we know where the Throne Room is?"

"Not a clue, but my instincts tell me it'll be on the ground floor. So if we could just find a nice, cosy lift, or something, maybe an arrow to point us in the right direction, that'd be nice…"

"Will a pitch-black marble staircase be any good?"

Teri turned to him and saw that his eyes were focused on a rich area of darkness on the opposite side of the corridor. She sighed, somehow expecting there to be no lifts to transport them through floors in this place, and nodded. She turned her head to the left, and stared at their guest, silently thanking Rassilon that he, or she, or _it_, had turned and was progressing down the corridor, back the way it had come. _Guard duty_, she thought to herself.

As soon as the shadowy creature had been completely enveloped, she tapped Jack on the shoulder, and beckoned him to follow her, pointing distractedly at his gun in an attempt to warn him to keep it positioned. Jack nodded in understanding, smirking slightly, and moved swiftly across the corridor to the blackened staircase.

Moving as quietly as possible while still taking the stairs two at a time, they reached the ground almost immediately, sighing with relief as a vast marble hall stretched out in all directions before them.

"_The Entrance Hall_!" Jack whispered with delight. Teri promptly stood on his foot and he fell silent. They stood stock still, barely breathing, staring around the Hall, a faint hint of sunlight from the main doors illuminating a square of dust and dirt on the floor before them, just enough to offer their eyes a little relief after the blackness of the corridor. Teri blinked slightly, her eyes adjusting again, and reached for Jack's hand. Jack started slightly, but quickly relaxed.

"I think that's the Throne Room," she whispered, pointing across the Hall to a pair of large double doors, engraved with a pair of twisting snakes, two shimmering emeralds winking invitingly from the eyes.

"Right," Jack murmured, frowning at the wide expanse of open Hallway that was lying before them. "Or we could just take the exit. That _is _what we were originally looking for, after all, and we could follow the walls, hide in the shadows." he whispered nervously. Teri sighed.

"Well we can't very well leave without the TARDIS, can we? We wouldn't make seventy yards out there on our own, not with witches and wizards sending God knows what after us! Besides, once I'm back in the TARDIS, I should be able to track The Doctor."

"You couldn't track before, or you wouldn't have ended up here," Jack mumbled. A faint blush rose in Teri's cheeks, and she scowled.

"I was pulled off course, _actually_, it had nothing to do with my tracking! The TARDIS was intercepted!"

Jack turned and stared at her, his eyes wide.

"Seriously?"

"Yes, that's the only logical explanation for how I ended up here that I can come up with. The Dark Lord must have a machine of immense power, and whatever it is managed to intercept my TARDIS during flight, pulling me in here. Why he wanted me is a mystery, but he must have paid an awful lot of money to create the apparatus to get me."

"He must have wanted your knowledge," Jack murmured, distractedly. Teri blinked, his words sinking in slowly. "If you're a… Time Lady… you'll have a knowledge of probably the entire Universe at your disposal, whether you consciously know of it, or not. I'm sure I read about that somewhere, might have been in the TARDIS, but I remember finding out that information sinks in exceptionally quickly during a Time Lord's stint in a Gallifreyan School."

Teri felt her breath catch.

"Just exactly how much do you know about my people, Jack?" she asked, quietly, considering his reaction. Jack fell instantly silent, avoiding her eye.

"Ah, well, not all that much… I mean it's just scraps I found during my short-lived stay on board the TARDIS… I mean, nothing really from The Doctor, he never mentioned anything -"

"-He doesn't talk about his family? Why on Earth not?"

Feeling faintly irritated, as though he'd just been ushered unwillingly on stage, Jack lowered his gaze, automatically examining the laser gun in his hands.

"Look, I _don't know _about your people, you'll have to ask The Doctor about everything, okay?"

Teri scowled again, her eyes now narrowed slits as she studied him. Jack cleared his throat, the noise echoing throughout the vast Hallway, and both were drawn back into their situation with a violent tug.

"Yes, well, I think I'll do that, thanks, Jack. But first, we have to _find_ him," Teri whispered, watching the doors across the Hall. Jack nodded, suddenly nervous again.

"Erm, are you sure our red-eyed friend won't be in there waiting for us?" he asked, trying to keep his voice as politely inquisitive as possible.

"Most likely."

"So… how do you plan to get into your TARDIS, then?"

"No idea, I'll decide that when we get in. One trait I _know_ I've inherited from someone… I like to Improvise. Must have been my mother, I can vaguely remember her TARDIS interior was always a jumble of collected items. Amazed it all worked, I was. Incredible ingenuity. Anyway, there's work to be done."

They shared a look, steeling each other, and nodded.

As Teri made to dash forward, Jack raised a hand and halted her with a whispered '_wait_!' She turned back, puzzled.

"What does your TARDIS look like?"

"Aah."

"Aah? What's 'Aah' supposed to mean?"

"It, er, could be anything. Ever heard of a Chameleon Circuit?" Jack nodded, and she nodded too, collecting his thoughts for him.

"I never had the chance once I'd stepped out of the doors to see what I'd been travelling in. They stunned me the second I crossed the doorframe. Not particularly comfortable, but there you go. Serves me right for not checking on the Scanner, I suppose."

"So if they know about it, what makes you think it's still in there? I'd have moved it for inspection as soon as it arrived, and from what I can gather, you've been here days, rather than minutes, Teri."

"Er, blind faith, is it called? Yeah, that's all I'm going on; Blind faith."

Jack smiled.

"Good on you, that usually works for me." Teri returned the grin, her scars from her violent affairs shining against her white skin as her muscles tightened. Jack was given the impression that it had been a long time since Teri had smiled.

"Just out of interest, how long _have_ you been here?" he asked suddenly. Teri shrugged.

"Feels like forever, but I doubt it has been. A few weeks, maybe. I can't remember much of my life before this. Nothing seems significant, anymore."

Jack nodded in understanding, unconsciously reaching for a memory of his life before The Doctor, before realising that it had been a long time since he'd ever had one to think about. They swapped faint smiles, squeezed each other's hands encouragingly, and turned to face the open and noticeable Hall.

Together, then ran the length of the great room, to the rather majestic-looking but highly disturbing door on the other side, beside themselves with glee at the silence swirling around them. No guards. No one blocking the doors, no one at the stairs. Nobody around. How they had made it this far without notice was a mystery, but both thanked whatever Gods on the job for their streak of sheer good luck.

Stationing themselves on either side of the doors, Jack drew in his weapon to his chest, his heart thumping considerably harder and faster than usual. Teri reached out a tentative hand to the brass door handle, her fingers shivering against the harsh coldness of the metal.

She paused, her hand shaking slightly, and closed her eyes. As she scrunched her face against the annoying little voice that was strongly advising her to step slowly away from the doors, Jack let loose a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. Ever so gently, Teri pushed the brass handle downwards, a tiny squeak causing her to pause a moment before continuing. As a soft click announced the handle's complete depression, she glanced nervously at Jack, who stepped up behind her and raised the gun.

Teri nodded resolutely and pushed hard against the door, practically falling over the threshold. Jack bounded in after her, gun poised and finger on trigger, but the room was empty. Feeling slightly disappointed by the lack of action, he released the pressure a little, gently rubbing at his numb fingers, and walked cautiously a few steps into the Throne Room. Teri spared a nervous glance over her shoulder at the open door, but the Hall outside was quite deserted.

Almost as deserted as the room they were standing in.

"Well, this is a highly guarded location," Jack murmured, his discontent by no means disguised. "God, breaking out of this place is going to be easier than breaking out of that Tibetan Prison."

"What were you doing in a Tibetan Prison?" Teri asked with interest.

Jack smirked, unknowingly rubbing at his stomach.

"Oh, long story. The two security guards were pretty friendly, though. They were… shall we say, _persuaded _to help me escape. If I ever get the chance, I'll buy you a drink sometime and tell you all about it."

"I'll hold you to that," Teri smiled. Her smile faded away, however, as she scanned the room. "There's nothing in here."

"Well, what did you expect? I told you they'd have moved it. Technology like that must seem like it's dropped from the Gods."

"Well, they can't get into it, whether they hack away at it with a chainsaw or surround it with plastic explosives. They've no chance of getting in, so they're wasting their time."

"And so are we. There's nothing here," Jack commented dryly, gesturing grandly at the surrounding marble flooring and prominent throne. He sighed and walked forward, he's footsteps echoing eerily around the chamber. Teri felt the hairs on her neck stand on end as he stopped before the grand chair, contemplating it thoughtfully.

"Not exactly royalty, but it's a nice chair," he said, turning on the plinth and sitting gingerly on the end. Feeling a little more comfortable, he shuffled backwards, his arms resting neatly on the arms. "Nice, very nice," he smiled. Teri faltered, worried, before walking a little closer herself. Jack watched her slow and nervous progression through the Hall with an amused expression, until a sudden thought hit him, and he frowned, leaning forwards.

"Teri?"

"Yes?" she asked, turning her gaze from the chair to his face.

"Do you have a key for the TARDIS? With you now, I mean?"

"Yes, of course. Why?"

"Well, I'm sure I remember The Doctor using his key to locate the TARDIS at some point. Can't clearly remember when or where it was, might have been drunk at the time… but anyway, he did. Don't know what he did, either, but I presume you do," he added as her face ignited.

She smiled broadly and fumbled with a remarkably thin chain hanging around her neck. As she pulled it free of the neck of her pale and faded lilac-looking dress, Jack's smile widened. A shiny key hung from the centre of the chain, glinting gently in the dim light that was dividing the room.

"That's more like it!" he called happily, pointing at it. Teri spared him a soft smile, before she held it against her palm, closed her eyes, and waited.

Jack fell silent, his eyes lingering for a moment on the hem of her dress, just below her knees. Now that he thought about it, and for once the removal of clothing was nowhere near the forefront of his mind, it was the first time he could remember seeing her dress-sense, due to the intense darkness that they had been living in.

The thin, silken material was moulded perfectly to her slim figure, the short sleeves hanging loosely over her shoulders. The rich-looking lilac colour was broken by streaks of red, smeared by dirt and grime from their cell. Large rips occupied undisturbed areas across her waist, and a rather more revealing one along the side of her chest. In short, an elegant and well-cared-for traditional garment probably ruined beyond repair, thanks to her captivity.

His eyes falling unconsciously to her feet, he noticed with a restrained snort that her footwear was a little unsuitable for the occasion, though she seemed to have adapted well to wearing high heels.

All in all, her attire gave off an air of, dare he say it, superiority. Almost royalty. Quite fitting, he realised, as he remembered that he was standing in the presence of what was apparently one of two surviving Gallifreyans. Unfortunately, its condition had been diminished, somewhat. Still impressionable, but diminished.

Teri's faint sigh of relief pulled him back down to Earth and he gasped as he noticed the key glowing merrily within her outstretched palms. She moved it slightly to the left, as a gold-digger would a metal detector, and the glowing dimmed. She moved it across again, back to the centre, facing the throne, and the glow increased. She smiled as she stepped forwards, occasionally shifting its position to check she was heading in the right direction, and soon found herself standing directly before the throne.

Jack frowned.

"You don't suppose this is it, do you? A Throne Room without a throne is a rather peculiar thing," he muttered. Teri shook her head, frowning.

"No, it's just _around_ it somewhere. And I know for a fact that it would not become invisible, no matter where it lands. It has to have physical form… so where _is_ it?" she sighed frustrated.

Jack made to stand up but a tiny button on the left arm-rest grabbed his attention before he had moved an inch.

"Wait," he murmured, holding his hand out and gesturing her closer. Teri leaned in, staring at the tiny bump on the smooth, polished surface. Puzzled, she moved the key closer to the miniscule button, and smiled gently as the glow increased dramatically.

"Don't know what it does, but I presume whatever it is will include revealing the TARDIS. Don't suppose we have much of a choice, Jack," she said, quietly. Jack nodded and reached for the button. Suddenly hit by a rather unpleasant thought, he stopped and clambered to his feet.

"Don't want to be sat there if I'm going to get sucked into another Dimension, or something," he smiled. Teri was too engrossed in the gently glowing key to take notes, and so Jack gave up, sighing. He stepped around to the side of the throne, and held his hand hovering over the tiny button. Teri nodded firmly at his questioning glance and, his heart pounding again, he reached forwards with two fingers, and pressed it.

* * *

With a strangled yell, Rose began to claw at the ground beneath her, her back arching in pain as thunderous growls left her throat. As one, her small gathering of onlookers began to step backwards, stumbling over each other in their haste to make space. All but The Doctor, who reached for her hand instead. Even the Master looked up in unmistakable interest as her howls grew in timbre.

The silent watches observed with awe as Rose's pointed ears shrank slowly down through her curls, which in turn began to straighten to a more human looking length. The holes in her trainers alerted them to a reduction in nail-length, and her clawed fingers began to shrink back into her skin, leaving reddened finger-tips and ghostly-white nails in their place. Her elongated teeth shrank back into normal incisors, and with a faint moan of pain, she prepared to sit up again, rubbing vigorously at her, now familiar, chocolate eyes.

"Oh, thank _Rassilon_!" The Doctor cried out, reaching forwards and pulling her into a hug as though they had been separated for a lifetime. Struggling to focus, Rose raised her own arms and wrapped them thankfully around his back, as she recognised his warm embrace.

"Oh God, _Doctor_!" she murmured into his shoulder, the tears falling beyond her control. As she drew away, suddenly fully aware of her aching head and the blood from his neck resting against her hand and shirt, she reached a tentative hand forward and traced the wound across his throat with a shaking finger.

"Oh, Doctor, I am so, so sorry! I couldn't help myself! It was like some mad animal awoke in my chest and I just lashed out and, God look at the _state_ of it! Oh, I'm so, _so_ sorry, Doctor!" she wept, clinging to him again as though fearing he would melt before her eyes.

Ignoring both the nausea and the dizzy spell that was threatening to overpower him again, he pulled away, dragging himself to his feet. Stooping enough to pull Rose straight, he almost dropped her again as she placed her unsteady weight against his already weakened body. The situation was made worse as her legs gave way from beneath her, leaving her clinging to his shoulders, her head connecting with his chest. Harry and Ron shot forwards, lifting her to her feet again, an arm each over their shoulders. She nodded gratefully and struggled to support her own weight again, gasping as a sharp pain shot through her spine.

"What is it?" Harry asked as Ginny stepped over to help support The Doctor. Rose shrugged nonchalantly.

"Hitting the ground, like that, isn't really much good for the back, Harry," she said, shaking her head. "It hurt!"

"Oh, I tried to slow your fall a bit, but I haven't completely got the knack of that spell, yet. We don't tend to use it all that often."

"I'm honoured," Rose muttered, testing her footing. She glanced wearily over her shoulder at Ginny, who was struggling to hold The Doctor steady. After twenty seconds of constant swaying, the pair made a mutual agreement to give up and he leant against the wall, grimacing.

"I really am sorry, Doctor," she called desperately. The Doctor simply nodded, turning to Ron.

"We have to find her," he murmured, trying to steady his breathing enough to speak. Ron nodded, his face unnaturally pale as he leant back and stared at the black void above their heads.

"God, Doctor, you've faced your fare share of cuts and scrapes today. That wound looks pretty fatal from where we're standing," George called, watching them from the wall. Fred nodded in agreement.

"Hardly fair," he said, shaking his head. The Doctor sighed, pushing himself from the wall and stumbling almost drunkenly towards them.

"Don't ask, it's almost normal for me, honest. Although why I'm still alive like this is a pretty puzzling thing. The only thing I can relate it to is a mental transference of energy, but that's only possible between Time Lords," and he fell silent, gripping onto Ginny's shoulder as they stopped in front of the Master, who was examining his nails as though bored with the proceedings.

"Right, so. How do we get out of here?" Harry asked, gripping Rose's elbow with unacknowledged strength. Enough strength to cause her fingers to go numb, in fact.

"No idea, but I don't fancy running into the Sirens again, they aren't exactly pleased to see me," The Doctor said, pointing half-heartedly at the ceiling.

"The who?" Ginny frowned.

"The Sirens of Time," The Doctor said, his voice strangely mystical. Rose smiled slightly, but it slipped almost immediately.

"So those things were real, then?" she asked. When The Doctor nodded grimly, she sighed. "I thought I might have dreamed that bit. So where are they? They haven't come after us."

"No, I presume they'll be working their way down here sometime soon. And I'd rather we weren't here to greet them," he called, walking as steadily as he could along to the end of the corridor, before falling against the wall and sighing. "Bloody blood loss," he muttered. Rose dropped her gaze guiltily, all too aware that he would not accept a third apology. "I don't know what's keeping me alive but I think I'd rather regenerate."

"Regenerwhat? That's when you change your body, is it?" Fred asked. Rose nodded at him, and he lapsed into a thoughtful silence, George considering his unusual face with worry.

"Doctor?"

Seven heads swivelled and turned to see the Master, leaning casually against the black wall.

"Yes?" came the somewhat pained reply.

"A deal is a deal."

"Ah," he sighed again. He paused, then said, "Can we not find Hermione first? She's in rather a lot of trouble as she is."

"We can pick her up on the way, my TARDIS is in the same chamber. You do, of course, no the way," he added silkily, still finding faint interest in his finger nails.

"No, I must confess I failed to take down road directions after being almost bitten to death. No offence, Rose, but your teeth _were_ rather sharp."

Rose scuffed the ground guiltily, her toes rubbing through the holes. The Master let out a rather obviously forced sigh and stepped into position in front of the group.

"Looks like you'll have to follow my lead, then," he said airily, smirking. The Doctor resisted the urge to flash two fingers in his general direction through fear of over-exertion. Instead, he nodded and walked as close to the Master as he could without arousing suspicion, secretly gripping the handle of his sonic screwdriver in his coat pocket. A faint smile swept across his face as he was reacquainted with its familiar cool thrum beneath his fingers.

Making a steady pace through the pitch-black corridors, the group pressed ever onwards, eyes and ears strained for anything beyond their blackened passage. After about twenty minutes, Harry turned to The Doctor.

"You do know that we haven't accomplished what we set out to do, don't you?" he said, a faint hint of annoyance etched skilfully behind his words. The Doctor nodded sadly.

"Well, we did try. We just couldn't find them. There were plenty of people we shouldn't have encountered, but the ones we were searching for just weren't biting the line. And after all, you never really gave us a lot to go on, Harry."

"Shifting the book?" The Doctor opened his mouth to object but Harry laughed, raising a hand. "Don't worry, it _is _partly my fault. There wasn't anything to narrow down our search, but I should have looked a little harder."

The Doctor shook his head violently, the sudden movement sending another wave of nausea into his throat again and causing him to lean against the wall once more in an attempt to steady his vision. "No, Harry," he said once he'd recovered. "You couldn't have worked harder if you'd tried. Ignore me, I'm just not really one for admitting to my mistakes," he smiled.

A low and thunderous roar from up ahead caused them to stop dead in their tracks, gazing nervously into the black void before them.

"Oh, now what?" Fred murmured, irritated. "This is getting ridiculous!"

"You're telling me," The Doctor mumbled, straining his ears against the pounding of blood inside his lobes and the thumping of his racing hearts. "Hold on a moment," he added as the roars reached his ears once again. His companions fell silent, listening, watching.

"Oh, it _can't_ be!" he muttered, listening to the rapidly becoming frequent cries. "I recognise that. That sound, I've heard it before, _centuries_ ago!" Everyone had stopped, now. Rose stepped up behind him, reaching for his hand. "This is getting increasingly more worrying," he murmured, shaking his head. "I don't know what the Hell's going on, but we have _got_ to get away from here!"

As though his words were a power switch, everyone began to back away, retreating through the corridor they had just walked up, pushing and shoving despite their best attempts as the corridor began to feel incredibly claustrophobic.

"Wh-what is it?" Rose asked, her voice shaking.

As though in answer to her question, a towering, soaked creature launched around the corner, advancing slowly but surely towards them. From the way it was sniffing unseeingly towards them, the creature was blind, but its sense of smell was working at one hundred and ten per cent despite its reluctance to watch its prey.

"_Eurgh_, what the Hell _is_ that thing?" Ginny asked, her words laced elegantly with an undisguised disgust.

The Doctor stared up at its dripping mouth as it swooped down upon them, unconsciously pushing Rose behind him as the rest retreated further down the corridor.

"A Drashig," he whispered, staring at the beast in shock. "Another creature from my past, one that certainly shouldn't be camping out in the Underworld. This is becoming more and more dangerous by the second." He blinked and spotted the Master, standing just behind him. "Right, I agree, we have to get to your TARDIS," he called back, suddenly. The Master smiled faintly, stopping his retreat.

"We aren't far from that ice-chamber, now, it's a few minutes walk down this corridor, Doctor," he said, almost helpfully. The Doctor nodded and examined his possibilities.

"Right," he said, his voice commanding as it echoed eerily around them. "Harry, stick with me. Rose, take this vial, Hermione will be somewhere in the chamber where the Master is going to take you to. His TARDIS is in there, so trust me, he _will_ be taking you. Bring her around, it shouldn't take too much. Then, the Master can key in my molecular structure into the Scanner and you can come and collect us. Why I'm trusting you to do this honestly is beyond me, but there you go."

The Master blinked and stared at him.

"Are you crazy? That's suicide!" he cried indignantly.

"Well, I can't repair your TARDIS for you while I'm being digested, now, can I?" he spat back. "Your TARDIS will be fine enough to pick us up, once you've tracked us, and then we can get the Hell away from here, alright?"

The Master considered his determined face for a second, then nodded.

"Alright, then, we'll try it your way. But if the Scan proves fruitless, we're leaving without you," he said firmly.

The Doctor paused, watching Harry. Harry's face was skilfully blank, as he stared resolutely back, wand in hand.

"Fine, but you get the others to safety before you go gallivanting off over the Universe, comprendé?" The Master nodded, and The Doctor sighed reluctantly, following Harry's tracks down through the corridor behind them. The rest shrank as far into the walls as they could, holding their breaths as the monstrous creature shuffled achingly slowly past them.

The Doctor withdrew his sonic screwdriver, pointing it directly at the Drashig's face, trying to keep its attention focused on him rather than the rest, and watched as the four teens, Rose and the Master bolted as quietly as they could away from them.

"Ready, Harry?" he called, his hearts beating viciously against his chest.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Harry replied, straightening his aim. The Doctor nodded and waited, watching with baited breath as the Drashig approached, looming above them, teeth bared. "Aah, problem!" Harry called suddenly, causing The Doctor to turn and glance over his right shoulder. Harry was standing just behind him, facing the opposite direction, staring into the gloom ahead of them. "We have company," he said.

"Who?"

"Er, what were those Sirens of Time you mentioned?"

The Doctor could have laughed at the irony.

"Oh, fantastic," he sighed, not sure whether he wanted to cry with exasperation or scream it out instead.

Harry glanced wearily over his shoulder, staring briefly at the Drashig, then turned to stare as three beautiful creatures shuffled towards them through the gloom, accompanied by a peculiar bear-like animal. Then he turned to The Doctor, who seemed unsure as to what his next move was going to be. The Doctor met his gaze, his face pale.

"We're trapped," they said unanimously.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review! Update soon, I hope!**


	19. Gateway to Hell

**Thanks The Doctor's Tenth Companion, SilentAngel101 and The Opera Ghostess (Still loving your Opera fic! Keep it up!).**

**Thanks as well to Tai Greywing and rosetylerrox!** Hope you two survived the wait, you sounded a little upset by my consistent inclusion of 'Cliffies'. Sorry 'bout that… force of habit… Yeah, I'll try to be a little more considerate in the future… Hahahaha, yeah, right! Couldn't do it if I tried! As sadistic as it makes me sound, I love hearing your pleas for updates every time I leave you hanging! ;D I'm sorry! Please! Pretty, pretty please with cherries and ice cream don't stop reviewing just to spite me! I didn't mean it! Honestly!

**Doobrey Ferkin:** Everyone loves a Waffler:) Thanks a lot! Much appreciated! Here's an update for you!

**LittleGinny15:** Aaw, it's alright honey, you can't enjoy everything all of the time. And you've been one of my most wonderful reviewers; you're entitled to send less happy reviews if you want to. Reviewer's Privilege, I think it's called. ;) Hope your boredom's been resolved since last I posted!

**Wow! I'm speechless! Over 90 Reviews, guys! Love and cookies to you all:D**

**Two chapters in two days for you! Just because I'm feeling Dead guilty for leaving it so long, but hey, you deserve it for being so patient with me! If they're crap, blame my work experience, it's leaving me drained on a night, so I'm trying to knock something together as well as I can in the space of four hours. Sorry for any disappointment! Oh, yeah, and I'll post the second one tomorrow:)  
**

**

* * *

**

**Gateway to Hell**

"Know any spells that might defeat a thirty foot Drashig, Harry?" the Doctor called over his shoulder as the Drashig stopped in front of him, its mouth a gaping chasm as it roared deafeningly above them, its head bent low against the low-hung corridor wall. Taking that as a cue to approach, the three Sirens, along with the Temperon, stopped a few feet in front of Harry, smiling sweetly.

"Erm, no, no I don't believe I do, Doctor. Do you?"

"Nope."

"Right."

"So, here's the plan."

Harry stared disbelievingly over his shoulder, his eyes wide. "You have a plan?" he asked, eyebrows raised accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me it before?"

"Because I didn't have one before, Harry, that's why. And no, I don't think I have one now, either, but I'm going to have a shot at improvising, instead. So, as I was saying. Here's the plan."

Harry waited, hoping but at the same time, unoptimistic. The Doctor fell silent, and Harry stamped his foot impatiently, shifting uncomfortably under the baleful gaze of the Sirens.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"Well, I was kinda hoping that when I said 'here's the plan', I might have received a stroke of inspiration that'd work to get us out of this sticky situation. Unfortunately, it has done nothing except to make me look incredibly stupid, so I don't think I'll be trying that again."

"_Doctor!_ We have to get _out_ of here!"

"I know, I know! And I'm trying my damndest, Harry!" Throwing his gaze up and down the hallway, the Doctor jumped as he felt Harry bump into him from behind, impressing just how serious the situation had become, now that both of their pursuers had squashed the two of them back-to-back.

"Have you checked the wall for a secret door?"

The Doctor turned to glare over his shoulder, but only half managed it as Harry's words cut through his hazy thoughts like a sharp axe. His glare, instead, came out as a look of open curiosity.

"Secret doors? Where are they?"

"All over, have you not seen one?"

The Doctor shook his head, and Harry grinned. "Not completely omniscient, then. You fell through one, remember?"

"I thought that was a hole, actually. But I'll take your word for it."

"Good, because you did. You must have tripped over a loose rock up there. That opens 'em. They're everywhere! Look for a stone, quickly, any protruding stone. Look for one and push it!"

Nodding despite his indignation at being ordered about by a seventeen-year-old wizard, the Doctor stared at the wall beside him, his eyes flicking madly over the black surface as the Drashig roared again. Looking up a few seconds later, the Doctor realised they had now been pushed completely up against the wall, two ancient enemies towering before them. His searching proving fruitless, the Doctor turned and stared at the Sirens, sighing.

"What do you want from me?" he asked after a moment, his eyes sliding towards the Drashig as it waited patiently beside them, its yellow teeth bared.

"You will accompany us, Doctor."

"Accompany you where?" Harry asked, his wand aimed directly at Lyena.

"We know not," she answered, after a moment's pause. "Upon arrival, we intended to kill you, Doctor, but circumstances have changed, somewhat. You have been summoned."

The Doctor laughed.

"Right, I've been summoned, have I? Well, makes a change, I suppose. I knew you couldn't _all_ be after me at once, that'd just be ridiculously _impossible_. So you're working under somebody you don't know, ordered by unknown authorities to 'accompany' us to 'Them', without knowing what's going on, and you're just going to go along with it? You've changed, Lyena. You've changed incredibly."

"He is waiting, Doctor, and he grows impatient," Lyena snapped, stepping threateningly forward. "You will follow me, and you will be silent. My people will have their needs fulfilled as soon as 'He' has finished with his. You will be coming with us, and you will aid in the destruction of Time as you know it, knowing all the while that your alterations feed us. We will reign once more."

"Yeah, and I highly doubt that. But, y'know, each to their own dreams, I suppose. Come on, Harry. Beats hanging around here, at any rate. Oh, and, er, don't put that away. We might need it."

In response. Harry doubled his grip on his wand and stepped up behind the Doctor, glaring at Lyena as she turned and began to trek through the pitch-black corridor before them.

The Doctor and Harry swapped a look, nodding, and turned away, intending to take the path that Rose and the others had followed mere minutes before, only to walk straight into the awaiting Drashig, who roared and lashed out, causing the Doctor to hit the wall sharply as he jumped out of the way.

It surged forwards, its teeth bared, its meaning clear. Shaking his head in frustration, the Doctor fell into step beside Harry as they followed Lyena.

"Training Drashigs as Body Guards? Whoever wants to see us must be pretty desperate … and pretty powerful, too," the Doctor murmured. Harry turned and stared at him questioningly.

He elaborated.

"Well, Drashigs are a primitive species. They hunt, they kill, they eat … and they don't work for others. All for one and one for oneself with those creatures, so whoever's waiting to see us has to have worked incredibly hard to get a Drashig to run a personal Taxi service for us."

"Money?"

"What's money gonna mean to a Drashig, Harry?" the Doctor asked, perplexed.

"Well, I don't know, do I? They're aliens! For all I know they could eat the stuff!"

"No, even _they're_ not that stupid … although they're not so far off. No, money wouldn't be a factor to a Drashig, because they have no use for such a thing. They need only live food and they're happy. Like Dinosaurs, in that sense."

Harry gazed over his shoulder at the advancing monster, his eyes meeting its own momentarily, before he turned hurriedly away.

"That … Drashig … isn't in control, Doctor," he muttered. The Doctor turned to him, his eyebrows raised.

"What d'you mean?"

"Look at it! Look at its eyes! Something's controlling it!"

Frowning, the Doctor glanced briefly over his shoulder, straining to make out the two stalks on the top of the creature's head. The misted white haze that rested in place of the two glistening pupils was enough to convince him.

"You're right," he murmured back, leaning in slightly. "Some sort of mind lock. No wonder the Sirens have changed their minds about ripping me to shreds. They're not the ones living inside their bodies anymore. And that _also_ explains why Lyena went off on one a minute ago, when I told her she was behaving most unlike her usual, ethereal, self. The puppeteer's miffed that his puppets aren't as life-like as he'd like them to be."

"Who wants to see _you_ this badly, Doctor?"

"Oh, loads of people, these days. Always making enemies, me," the Doctor grinned. Harry snorted.

"I can believe that," he grinned. "Still, I don't like this. We need to get out of here, things are just going from bad to worse, the longer we're down here. We need to get to the others and return to Hogwarts. We need a _plan_!"

"And I think the best plan we have right about now is to follow the Knight Commander and her minions and uncover why we've been 'summoned'. Besides, it may even be the one guy we've been looking for. Just out of interest, how did you intend to get your friend to talk?"

"They need magic. I have magic. I need answers. They have answers. A fair exchange, don't you think?"

"They're not gonna fall for that, Harry. They'll take what they need and kill you on the spot," the Doctor replied, his expression serious.

"I'm not that stupid, Doctor!" Harry exclaimed, scowling.

"I never said you _were_," the Doctor replied, patiently. "I'm just saying, it isn't going to be as simple as that."

"I never expected it to be!"

His voice louder than he'd intended it to be, Harry slapped a hand over his mouth as the Doctor waved his hands in a shushing movement, smiling at Lyena as she stared over her shoulder, her whitened eyes glittering like pale stars floating along in the blackness.

"Good, I just hope you know what you're doing," the Doctor muttered after Lyena had turned away again, picking up the pace, his voice brooking no argument and laced with a rich 'this-topic-is-closed' edge to it.

"We have arrived, Doctor."

The Doctor straightened up as they came to a sudden halt behind the three Sirens. Harry strengthened the grip upon his wand again, and the Doctor's fingers curled securely around the handle of his sonic screwdriver. He stepped forwards, trying to ignore the ever-present sense of nausea as he struggled to focus on the dimly lit chamber before them.

Torches hung limply in brackets around the walls, their faint candle-like qualities doing little to illuminate the proceedings. Instead, they created a shroud of light leading into an oppressive circle of intense blackness a few feet ahead of them, almost as though the dim circle of light was encasing a dark area of nothingness a couple of paces in.

His hearts racing and his head spinning, the Doctor stepped forwards, passing Lyena, her guards, and the Temperon, who all stared blankly after him. Harry was urged forwards after him by the pursuing Drashig, before it, too, stopped beside the three Sirens and their 'pet'.

Standing on the edge of the dome of light, both stared questioningly over their shoulders at Lyena, who stared back, frowning. Her eyes were searching something, seeing something beyond them. The Temperon began to growl nervously, and the Drashig was edging forwards, its thunderous roars growing in strength by the second.

"Oh, no," the Doctor mumbled, staring, wide-eyed.

"What's happening?" Harry asked, staring at the two guards as they raised their hands to their heads and began digging their nails painfully hard into their own skulls. The Doctor watched in horror as Lyena's eyes returned to their original shape, their natural, rich and dark colour.

"They're breaking free," he said, stepping unconsciously closer to the glowing dome. "There must be too much interference around this thing! There's nothing to hold onto, and whatever's been controlling them is losing its grip on their minds! Come on, we've got to get out of here, _now_!"

"Right behind you," Harry replied, turning and staring into the shimmering dome, his brow furrowed. "Is this thing safe?" he asked after a moment.

"We're gonna have to take that chance, Harry," the Doctor said, steeling himself and stepping forward. A few paces were all it took for Harry to lose sight of him. With one final glance over his shoulder, as Lyena and her guards stepped towards him, their arms outstretched, the Drashig shuffling closer and faster while the Temperon stood limply against the wall behind them, Harry let out a breath and stepped over the threshold, following the Doctor's steps into the black abyss.

* * *

A loud buzzing echoed eerily around the Throne Room, as Teri and Jack waited with bated breath, scanning the room for any sign of the TARDIS. A soft, glowing light stuttered into life behind the throne, and as one, they dashed nervously towards it, clinging to the throne's arms nervously as they strained to make out its place of origin. 

"There, look!" Teri whispered excitedly, pointing at the floor with a shaking finger. Jack dropped his gaze to the large marble tile directly below the heart of the blue tunnel of light, where a tiny hole was growing in diameter by the second, stretching out silently over the tile.

The column of blue began to intensify as the hole grew larger, spiralling up out of the half-demolished tile like a rocket. Teri looked up in time to see it branch off over the ceiling of the chamber like running paint, legs of light spreading and combining above them to cast a dim, soft glow over the gaping black hole.

"What is it?" Jack whispered in awe. Teri turned back to the hole that was now larger than its four surrounding tiles combined.

"A door," she replied. "A door that's meant for us."

"Sounds ominous." He paused, then looked across to her, frowning. "D'you think the TARDIS is in there?"

"Could be," Teri replied quietly, dropping down onto her knees to consider the ever-growing hole from close range. A gentle _click!_ echoed around the room, and Teri glanced up, frowning. "It's stopped," she murmured, staring back down into the hole. "It's stopped growing."

Jack studied it, thinking.

"Well, it's wide enough for one man to fit through, ironically."

"Then I'm going down there," Teri answered vaguely, staring at it, her face set with a look of youthful curiosity.

"That wasn't what I'd had in mind."

Teri smiled slightly, but her eyes conveyed her resolution. "I appreciate your concern, Jack, but …" she sighed, her gaze falling into the calling depths. "I don't know … it's just …"

"What?"

"I dunno, it's like there's something down there … calling me, like it's … _willing _me to jump."

"All the more reason to let me go first, put 'em off their guard."

"No, I … I can't explain it, but I_ need _to go down there. It wants me, whatever it is. Maybe it's the TARDIS. That could be it. It's just, I've got this feeling … this _urge_ to find something down there. Something that belongs to me …" and she fell silent, her eyes glazing over as she stared down into the seemingly endless darkness.

"You're not going down alone, Teri, whether it wants you to or not."

"We've no idea how deep this thing is!"

"And?"

Teri threw her hands up in exasperation and spun around to face him, the skirt of her dress fluttering around her legs.

"Well, I don't want you jumping down after me if I'm going to die when I hit the bottom, anyway! I'll regenerate, you won't!" she shouted. As her brain caught up with her mouth, Teri paled, staring as Jack's confusion played up over his anxiety. She turned away from him, staring at the hole again.

The uncomfortable silence was broken only by the soft 'squeak' of a rat from somewhere beside them, hidden well within the shadows of the wall. Jack frowned, his anger ebbing away from him like water through a sieve.

"Regenerate?"

"Never mind."

"What's 'regenerate' mean?"

"Drop it, Jack!"

"What do you mean, you'll regenerate when I wont?"

"Damnit Jack I said forget it!" Teri yelled, her face contorted with fury as she glared daggers at his curiosity. Jack blushed lightly but otherwise ignored her anger, as his own returned with power.

"No I won't forget it! What the Hell does that mean?"

"Allow me to demonstrate for you, Jack."

Too wrapped up within their argument to notice just how much noise they had been making, Jack was struck dumb as a streak of silver encased itself around Teri's throat. A flash and an indignant squeak later, and Teri was gasping for breath as she tugged helplessly at the solid silver fingers of Wormtail's triumphant hand.

Pulling Teri to her feet, Wormtail stepped away from the gaping hole, dragging her along with him despite her efforts to resist.

"Quite the married couple, arguing over petty little things. Quite pathetic, too."

"Go to Hell."

"Oh, too late," Wormtail laughed airily, his fingers tightening around Teri's throat. Her anguished sobs were drowned by chokes as she pulled desperately at his unwavering hand.

Jack stared at her, making to step forward but stopping as she shook her head a fraction of an inch.

"Wise move," Wormtail sighed, considering the nails on his free hand, bored, whilst doubling the strength of the one about Teri's neck. "Anyway, where were we? Ahh yes." He gave a particularly sharp jerk of his wrist, pulling Teri inches above the floor before dropping her down again. "Demonstrations," he grinned through gritted teeth.

"Let her go!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. She has a prior engagement, you see, and she mustn't be late."

"With who?"

"God. Who'd you think, Harkness?" Wormtail sneered. Jack stared at Teri again, his heart racing as he watched her struggling to remain conscious as she dragged her nails as painfully as she could over his silver hand with no effect.

"What does he want her for?"

"She has a job to finish, preferably tonight, for safety's sake."

"Safety's sake?"

"Hers. And yours," he added, smirking at him.

Jack watched, sickened, as Teri's eyes widened with horror, a new spurt of energy sending her kicking and tearing out at him in an attempt to break free. It half worked; Wormtail was forced to abandon his nail examination and wrap his hand around her waist instead, to hold her still.

"What _is_ your problem?" Jack shouted, furious. "She's _seventeen_! What's she ever done to you, hmm?"

"Her knowledge of the Universe beyond Earth is priceless to my Master, and she will aid in his conquest of Man-kind. It is also a danger, not just to _us_, but to _herself_. My Master feels it best to … er, _relieve _her of this burden. Believe me, it would not be wasted. And then, there is also a slight worry rising gradually, as the days progress, about this … _Doctor_. We must find and dispose of him before he can intervene. And your young acquaintance here is probably the only person who knows where he is. And we _know_ you know," he added, staring at Teri's paling face, instead. "We _know_ because we've caught you helping him. And now, you're going to help us."

"No ch-chance," she gasped, her mind slipping from her grasp as she fought to keep it there.

Jack stared, mortified, as he realised Wormtail's fingers were now completely surrounding Teri's neck, the tips of finger and thumb meeting as he increased the pressure.

"Let her down, for God's sake, you're _killing_ her!" Jack yelled, drawing his gun and pointing it directly at Wormtail's heart. Curiously, Wormtail obliged, and Jack dashed forwards as Teri slumped to the ground, dropping to his knees nervously beside her whilst trying at the same time to keep a steady aim on his prey.

"Bring her," Wormtail ordered, smirking, as he turned away and set off back through the chamber, heading towards the Entrance Hall.

"Sod off!" Jack shot back, rubbing gently at Teri's neck as he tried to pull her around again.

Wormtail turned back, his wand out and aiming directly at Jack.

"_Imperio!_"

Jack felt the vice-like terror vanish on the spot, leaving his mind blissfully blank and clear. He stared, smiling down at Teri numbly, who was far too unconscious for comfort, before frowning. What had he been doing?

"_Carry her. Bring the girl._"

Jack reached obediently forward, his arms outstretched, but stopped, shaking his head.

_Why?_

"_Bring her here, now!_"

"_No! Stop it!_"

"_Bring the girl!_"

"_NO!_"_  
_

"_Harkness_!" Wormtail bellowed, frustrated beyond words. Jack felt himself slammed back into reality, his arms falling to his sides in front of him. Without thinking, Jack grabbed hold of Teri's shoulders and dragged her back towards the newly uncovered chasm.

Wormtail stopped in his tracks as Jack swung his legs down into the pit, clinging painfully tightly to Teri's arm as he pulled her closer to the edge with him.

"You wouldn't dare," he whispered, threateningly.

"And you've just sealed my fate, Ratboy. I don't back away from bets, no matter what the cost is at the end of it!" Jack replied.

Before Wormtail could move, Jack seized Teri fully around the waist and threw himself into the hole, her body pressed against his as they fell, and Wormtail's screams of horror, shock and fury flying away from them, to be replaced by howls of wind.

And everything went black.

* * *

**Dun Dun Dun! What lies, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to spring? Will Teri and Jack survive a fall that could be anything from ten feet to one thousand and ten? What will Voldemort say to Wormtail's failure? And what's happening to Rose and the others, as they journey back to an ice-chamber full of … well, you'll find _that_ out later … ? Tune in tomorrow …**

**Yeah, don't really like this one much, but, y'know, like I said, blame work experience. If I make changes later on, please forgive me, but this chapter isn't really doing much for me except to push the story along a bit more ... **

**Oh, and postscript – I might not love the chapter, but I'm head-over-heels in love with reviews …**


	20. Falling into Place

**Thank you shouts to Tai Greywing and AmyAmidala (both for your wonderful reviews and those kind words of comfort and helpful advice, they helped a lot!), The Doctor's Tenth Companion, rosetylerrox (sorry!), Truthisbrutal, lola laflaunda and Kristina (Can't _wait_ for Don Juan!)**

**Doobrey Ferkin:** I have to agree with you there. That's probably why I'm kinda obsessed with using them. Well, that and the chance for a break-off point. Both good. I love Cliffies, end of story. Thanks for reviewing! Oh, and look! I continued it! ;D

**josiesprx: **And so you were. Thank you!

**LittleGinny15: **Oh, I'm so very glad to hear that! ;D I took your advice, reluctantly at first, but once I'd sat down and laughed away my blues through watching non-stop as many British comedies as I could find on TV, I felt much better, so thank you!

**Apologies for the delay, but if it's any consolation, my mini-break (and all of your help and support, which I can't thank you enough for! Love you all!) has helped me to get my life back on track. I've decided that I am no longer going to play side-kick to everyone who knows me. No more will I stand to one side while everybody else holds the limelight. I won't be a pushover any more, to anyone, and the best way to start that, is to bring out the real me. She's been cooped up for too long, and writing has helped me begin to break through the bars of her cage.**

**Which is why I have now convinced myself that my writing is going to take a front seat in my life, and that if I want to write, no matter what the Hell I'm doing at the time, then by God I will write. Which I suppose _should_ mean more frequent updates, but it will probably depend on my mood. I say I'll write when I want to, no matter what, but there's the guarantee that I won't _always_ want to write … So anyway, thanks everybody, finger's crossed that my life takes a U-turn and more pleasant experiences are knocking on my door, and enjoy Chapter Twenty! (God, that many?) ;D**

**Disclaimer: **Chapter Twenty … is it mine, now? No? Shame, I'm really beginning to get into it …

* * *

**Falling into Place**

"Doctor? _Doctor!_ Where are you!"

Harry threw his hands up in frustration as he continued to shuffle through the intense darkness, eyes strained and ears pricked for any sign of movement. Unfortunately for him, there was nothing around.

Harry paused. Well, that wasn't _completely_ unfortunate for him. He'd much rather be alone than face another abducted alien from the life of a round the bend-genius, but at the same time, he really wanted his said round the bend-genius to show his face again.

"Oh, this is just bloody brilliant, this is," he muttered to himself, irate. "Fantastic! Bloody fantastic! What now? Hell knows where I am, or what I'm s'posed to be doing here, and the one guy who might _actually_ know has gone and lost himself. Doctor!" Harry gazed hopelessly around, his eyes betraying him as no object dared move before his staring orbs, and he sighed exasperatedly. "Oh, _Doctor_! Get your skinny little arse back here, _right now_!"

"I'd, er, rather you didn't look there if it's all the same to you, thanks, Harry."

Harry jumped and span on his heels, straining his eyes against the blackness.

"'Bout time you turned up. Where've you been?" he asked, moodily.

"Oh, you know, round and about. Where are you?" the Doctor asked, his voice low.

"Here."

"Yeah, and I've got x-ray vision, Harry," he replied, sarcastically. He paused, frowning. "Well, I suppose I kinda have, actually. It's better than yours, at any rate," he added hastily. "Still, I can't see you through this. Give me a sign, would you? I'm not really feelin' one-hundred per cent at the moment."

Feeling suddenly mysterious, as though the bizarre atmosphere was asking him to play along, Harry grinned and put on the best impersonation of Sybill Trelawney that he could.

"Follow the sound of my voice, my child," he offered, his wide smile snaking his words with skill. The Doctor could just picture it as he laughed softly, stopping a few paces in front of Harry.

"Ironic, then, that I'm over eight-hundred-and-eighty-odd years older than you, Harry, give or take a decade, or so."

Harry's eyes widened with surprise.

"_How_ old?" he gasped.

"I'm Nine-Hundred … Or there abouts, anyway … Gosh, didn't you know?" the Doctor simpered, grinning broadly. His smile faded moments later as a shuffling sound entered his ears, floating along from somewhere behind him. "Harry, have you moved?" he murmured.

"Nope, still here," Harry replied. He waved a hand vigorously in front of himself, enough to allow the Doctor to glimpse its moving blur through the darkness.

"Well, we have company, then," the Doctor whispered, doubling his grip on his sonic screwdriver as he ceased moving, standing stock still.

"And is that supposed to surprise me?" Harry murmured back, his wand steady and waiting.

"Probably not, but, y'know, I thought it best I warned you."

"Duly noted, thanks."

"You're welcome."

"And what are we going to do?"

"Ahh."

"Ahh?"

"Ahh."

"Not very helpful, as I'm sure you already know, Doctor."

"Ssshh!" the Doctor hissed a moment later, as the shuffling sound grew steadily louder, accompanied now by slow and painfully ragged breaths. The Doctor stepped backwards, practically jumping out of his skin as he backed straight into Harry, who hissed back in indignation and raised a hand to his shoulder to hold him still. "Sorry," he whispered.

"Who's there?" Harry called, his voice strong and in no way getting across his unease. The Doctor grinned at himself.

An unearthly silence answered him, and it took Harry a moment to realise that whoever had been breathing, or struggling to breathe, as it had sounded through his ears, a moment ago, was no longer doing so.

"They've stopped," he muttered, his ears prepared to hear a pin drop as he waited for something to happen.

"So I'd noticed, thanks, Harry," the Doctor murmured back, vaguely, glancing around in every direction, but unable to see anything. "What _is_ going on around here?"

"I wonder if the others made it back to the TARDIS alright," Harry voiced, frowning.

"Oh, I'm sure they have. The Master wants to get out of here as much as we do. He isn't about to back out of a deal if it means he has a one-way ticket out of this place. At the moment, I'm more worried about the remoteness of the chance of him returning for us. I can't make it back to my own TARDIS in this state, even _with_ the strange energy booster that I've somehow acquired from no-where." He paused, his expression serious. "I need to find out who's keeping me alive," he finished, more to himself than to Harry.

Harry glanced at his face, or roughly where he thought the Doctor's face was positioned amidst the stark black background, and sighed.

"Must be Voldemort," he said without thinking. The Doctor turned to him, his eyes narrowed in confusion and a grim smile edging across his lips. His curiosity blanked out the sudden burst of pain as his neck throbbed, almost as though it was attempting to remind him that it was still there. As best he could, he ignored it, thinking.

"Yes, and who exactly is this guy? I know he's supposed to be, well, 'The All Evil' of the Magical World, but what does he want with me? I'm a Time Traveller who _really_ shouldn't be here at all, and yet I'm more involved than even _I _can justify safely. I know nothing about him, and as far as I know, he knows nothing really about me, so what _possible_ motives can he have for keeping me alive? No, there's something else going on, here. It isn't Voldemort who wants me. Someone else has dragged me and Rose into this War, and it's about time we found out who it is."

Harry remained silent, thinking. Feeling slightly nervous, he blinked and turned back to the Doctor, puzzled.

"Is it possible Voldemort's after your knowledge? You say he doesn't want you, but a personality like yours can't really be missed, can it? Maybe he found out about you through other means, and wants help with something that only you would know about."

The Doctor considered the little of Harry's face that he could see - which wasn't a great deal, more like a flicker of an outline - frowning. After a moment's consideration, he shook his head, sighing.

"No, it isn't that. If it were, why not draw the TARDIS into his workshop? Why drop it outside the doors of a Magical School, least of all when the occupants of said school are almost definitely after his blood? No, from what I can decipher of our situation, whoever brought us here did so under stress, and therefore only had enough energy to draw us into the same time zone, rather than where they were at the time."

Harry nodded, unsure if that had made sense to him or not. The Doctor sighed, frustrated, and ran his blood-stained hands through his hair, regretting the movement afterwards as he realised the reduced amount of blood now covering them was due to its migration to his dishevelled locks. He turned away, a tiny grimace of pain gracing his face, trying to see anything through the darkness, but failing abysmally.

"No, I'm convinced that this Voldemort guy's still involved _somewhere_ down the line, but he isn't the one responsible for bringing us here. Perhaps if he has a _hostage, _that could well ex-"

"Is that likely?"

"Well, 'bout as likely as any other possibility, I guess. I know a _lot_ of people, Harry. And as you can see, they don't all appreciate my work, but I do have a few … shall we say _more agreeable_ members of my past who would want to help out if they knew they could. Perhaps, it's one of -"

Harry raised a hand, frowning.

"Wait, can you hear something?" he whispered, frozen to the spot. Gazing unseeingly through the blackness, Harry's heart stopped as the distant screech echoed across to them, this time catching the Doctor's attention as well.

Without warning, Harry was knocked painfully hard to the floor, his wand flying from his grasp as he raised a reflexive hand in an attempt to take the impact.

"Sh -"

"_Harry, look out!_"

Blinking back the blinding sting of pain as he felt a damp liquid, that he could only suspect was his own blood, begin to soak his hand, Harry glanced desperately upwards towards the Doctor, and instinctively rolled out of the way as something flashed past him, striking the ground with a loud clatter exactly where he had been lying moments before. Stumbling hurriedly to his knees, Harry jumped as a buzzing filled his ears, accompanied by a burst of blue light. Harry blinked and sighed with relief as he spotted the Doctor, his screwdriver out, ready and humming in his hand.

"Point it at the ground!" he called, quickly, scrabbling around as he tried to recover his lost wand. The Doctor obliged, though the soft beam of blue was frequently lifted and sent some four feet over his shoulder, before illuminating his searching hands again.

His heart thumping wildly against his ribs, Harry's fingers closed around the familiar, wooden handle, and before he had fully regained his balance, he was standing again, his wand pointed at something just beyond his level of vision, slinking away from the light of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.

"What was it?" he whispered, panting.

"No idea, I never caught sight of it."

"That helps," Harry shrugged, edging towards it.

"No, Harry, wait," the Doctor murmured, his arm raised in warning. Harry stared at him, frowning.

"What is it?"

The Doctor shuffled forwards, the sonic screwdriver never quavering in its aim and the buzzing growing steadily louder as he moved closer. He stopped a few paces in front of Harry, who turned to face the same direction, wand ready.

"It's still here," he muttered, staring into the gloom. Straightening up as best he could, The Doctor's voice echoed out after the light from the weapon in his hand, momentarily drowning out the steady humming. "Show yourself!"

Nothing.

"What's it waiting for?" Harry whispered, eyes wide for any sudden movements.

"I'm not sure. Come, on!" he called out, again. "We're not hostile! Anything but, in fact! Show yourself! What do you want from us? What are you doing here? Who are you, might be the best question to start with, actually."

"You will follow me."

Harry instantly jumped a foot into the air and straightened his arm again, his wand steady and a stunning spell ready and waiting on his lips. The Doctor sighed.

"Why is it evil bad guys _always_ have to be the ones to boss _me_ about? Why can't it be _me_ doing the bossing for a change?"

"You will follow me." The voice was low and thunderous, its eerie echoing ring sending chills skirting along his spine. Suddenly serious, the Doctor frowned into the black night before him.

"And if we refuse?"

"You will follow me. You will follow me now if you value the lives of this Universe's inhabitants. He has something to show you."

The Doctor and Harry swapped a look.

"Who has something to show us?" Harry asked, gazing towards where he envisaged the creature standing through narrowed eyes.

"He does. For perhaps the first time, for perhaps the last time, Good and Evil will combine forces. Come. You have much to discuss, and he grows impatient. The safety of your friends, of your family, of the very Universe as you know it, is at stake."

The Doctor frowned, puzzled.

"Family?" he mumbled, his eyes blank. "What family?" The Doctor glanced at Harry, who shrugged, shaking his head solemnly.

"Can't have meant me," he sighed. The Doctor studied him dubiously.

"Well how could he mean _me_? You _know_ what happened to mine. You still have family at Hogwarts, Harry. Maybe he means _them_."

"No, I doubt it, Doctor."

The Doctor sighed, puzzled.

"Let's say we agree to accompany you to … well, wherever 'He' is. What do you mean, 'Good and Evil will combine forces'? I don't work with those who's only best interests for me are those of an early – er, early_ish_ – death!" he called out, his grip on the sonic screwdriver strengthening by the second.

"Follow and you shall see. He knows you, Doctor. He knows everything about you."

"So 'He' wants me alone, then?"

"No, He knows Harry Potter, too. Harry Potter has saved this world many a time, at great expense to himself. Harry Potter deserves this as much as you do. He shall join us, for he is destined to see this fight through to the end."

Harry glanced at the Doctor, stumped. The Doctor stared back, thinking, his face illuminated by the light from the sonic screwdriver, giving his already pale-from-too-much-blood-loss face an even greater ghostly appearance.

"What do you think? Can we trust it?" Harry muttered.

The Doctor sighed.

"It seems we have no choice, Harry. And then there's the fact that whoever 'He' is could very well hold the answers we so desperately need. And it isn't like there's anything else in this endless night for us to do, is it?"

Harry shook his head, convinced. "Weapons stay out, though, Doctor. We shouldn't be taking risks."

"I agree. Okay, then," he called to the voice, his tone firm and obliging, "for once in our lives, or mine at least … we'll come quietly. As the famous Earth-saying goes, 'take us to your leader'!"

* * *

Jack's groans broke the peaceful silence, bouncing around him like a chorus of singing angels, although not nearly quite as pleasant to the ears. Feeling oddly out of place, Jack forced himself into a sitting position, and frowned, glancing wearily around the room. 

His eyes adjusting into an unnaturally sharp focus, Jack blinked, raising a hand to shade his face from the brightness of the room. The pure white walls boxed him in, containing him in a wide expanse of floor-space, with nothing else to attract his eye.

Remembering the fall, Jack's eyes lifted to the ceiling, but there was nothing there. No gaping hole, no wide-mouthed chasm, lying dormant and satisfied after digesting them with ease, no nothing. Just a ceiling, plain and white, clinical but somehow sinister at the same time.

_Teri_ …

A burst of energy later and Jack was scrambling to his feet, his head pounding after the fall, although he could no longer see what he had fallen through, and his senses working overtime as he scanned the room for any sign of her.

But she wasn't there.

Unperturbed, Jack began examining the four walls. Concealed quite masterfully, slap bang in the middle of the wall in front of him, was a pure white door, the tiny key hole the only clue as to its existence. Jack shoved his hands roughly into his jeans pockets, searching for anything that could possibly work as a lock-picking device. Unfortunately for him, his pockets had betrayed him. They were empty save the laser gun, which, he reluctantly admitted to himself, would do little as a break-out weapon.

Defeated, Jack sighed with frustration and threw himself onto the floor, head in his hands and his body aching.

"Damn bloody place. Trap-doors all over, and none of them are helpful," he muttered, glaring at his knees. "S'pose they took Teri back. I swear, as soon as I get outa here, I'm gonna kill each and every one of these sick and twisted b -"

"'Bout time you woke up, it's been _hours_! We gave up trying to wake you!"

Jack jumped and turned to the hidden door, his eyes wide with surprise. Suddenly incredibly conscious of an unfamiliar voice calling to him amidst an empty white room, he straightened up, gun out and pointing again. '_Just to be sure,_' he assured himself.

"And you can put _that _away, right now, you're not going to need it. We're here to help. Jack, wasn't it?"

"Y-yes," Jack murmured, relaxing his grip but not lowering it. Gazing at the key-hole with a mixture of shock and suspicion upon his face, Jack dragged himself to his feet and shuffled across the room to the door again, his eye pressed up against the tiny gap in the long and seemingly endless stretch of white. "Who are you?"

Jack jumped backwards as a wide smile swam before his eye from the opposite side of the door. "Bloody Hell! What are _you_ so damn happy about?" he cried, eyes wider than ever.

"Oh, you know, this and that. Just nice to see a bit of action every now and again, instead of spending months and months working through theory and practice incidents."

"What are you talking about?" Jack asked, confusion etched across each line of his face. The young girl's gentle laugh floated through his ears, and Jack couldn't help but grin. He returned to stare through the key-hole again, and a blur of dirty-blonde flashed across his line of vision as the girl swept her hair carelessly out of her face.

"Maybe we should get him out of there before we start our introductions, Luna," came another voice from somewhere beyond the little of the outer corridor that Jack could see.

"Of course," the girl replied dreamily, her expression vague and almost bored as she shuffled away from the door. Jack was about to ask how they had planned to do that, when two simultaneous cries of '_Alohamora!_' shattered against his eardrums, drowning out the words even inside his own head.

A second later, Jack was gaping, open-mouthed at a pair of teenagers, who were grinning excitedly to each other as they replaced two similar sticks of wood to their preferred places of safe-keeping. For the boy, it was the pocket of his robes. For the girl, Jack noticed with amusement, it was behind her left ear.

"It's easier to reach, you see," she explained calmly, brushing off her robes with an unconcerned hand. Jack gaped at her.

"How'd you know -?"

"I caught you looking. You Muggles are all the same. Most peculiar … " and she trailed off. The boy beside her grinned knowingly but said nothing, shaking his head slightly.

"Right," Jack replied, his head-ache mounting to a torturous pitch. "Thanks for that, and all, but who exactly _are_ you?"

The boy stepped forwards over the threshold, his hand outstretched and a bright smile gracing his youthful features. Jack took it obligingly. "Neville Longbottom, a pleasure to meet you. This is Luna, Luna Lovegood, a close friend of mine."

Luna curtsied politely, and for the first time, Jack fully took in her unusual appearance. Her robes hung neatly upon her slim figure, an almost floating quality about them giving her an air of unexpected grace. Her waist-length hair was sleek and straight, which was something Jack had not expected to see, for some reason. He'd imagined her to be the sort of person who had never seen a pair of straighteners before in her life. Then he reminded himself that these were wizards, and so probably wouldn't have any use for such simple, Earth items. She had a necklace of what appeared to be a mixture of various-sized bottle-corks and fangs, alternating between one and the other until they met in the centre, where a miniature dragon was sleeping peacefully. Jack started as he watched a tiny ring of smoke float away from its miniscule nostrils, unseen by its wearer.

Quickly shifting his gaze for fear of losing his sanity, Jack noticed clearly her wide and protuberant eyes. They were misted over as she gazed vacantly over his shoulder, considering the white walls with something vaguely resembling interest. She blinked suddenly, smiling at his curiosity, and her pale eyebrows gave her gaze a permanently surprised look.

He smiled uncomfortably and turned to the boy, Neville, taking in his round face, his sparkling eyes and his nervous smile.

"Quite the couple," he grinned, suddenly, leaning casually against the doorframe as he watched the colour rising in Neville's cheeks.

"Oh, no," Neville muttered, hurriedly, shaking his head. "No, no, nothing like that, or anything … We-we're just good friends."

"Yes, close friends who have faced a lot, Jack. It's nice, having friends. I hope you have some, too. If not, we can be your friends, can't we, Neville?"

Neville nodded slightly, fighting an urge to laugh, as Jack raised his eyebrows in wonder.

"Thanks," he said after a moment's pause. Frowning, he turned to her again. "How did you know my name?" he asked, curious.

"Oh, Professor Lupin told us. He was the one who organised this search party."

"Search party? Your people are _looking_ for me?" Jack exclaimed, the unease that had vanished so quickly at the sight of such a bizarre rescue team returning ten-fold. "What do you want?"

"Oh, no, it's nothing like that, Jack," Neville said, quickly, shaking his head. "As a matter of fact, we were looking for our friends. We received a message from Hermione a few months ago, about them leaving in search of answers, but we haven't heard from them, since. The Order found out about you and your friend this morning, but we'd already left. Professor McGonagall alerted Professor Lupin of your presence here, in case we mistook you for Death Eaters, or something."

"Those names mean nothing to me, I'm afraid, but I'm guessing you're all good guys, yeah?"

Luna nodded vigorously.

"We need to find Harry and the others, along with their new friends. The Headmistress needs to speak to them about issues regarding the War, issues that she believes only the Doctor will know about."

Jack's pleasant smile slid graciously from his face and he stared, dumbstruck at Luna, who gazed intently back.

"The … Th-the Doctor's here, you mean he's _here_? He's in this building?"

Neville frowned.

"Do you know him?" he asked, suspiciously. "_What_ do you know of him?"

"_Is the Doctor here_?" Jack hissed, his shoulders shaking. Neville considered the mix of raw emotion lining Jack's face, and shrugged.

"We haven't found any sign of Harry or the others, yet, nor do we believe they're still here, if ever they were. But that doesn't explain how you know about the Doctor."

Jack drew in a deep, shuddering breath, and forced himself to calm down enough to keep the few allies he had managed to find.

"We were friends, a while back. Haven't seen him for a long time, though. What's he doing here, do you know?"

"We believe he is helping us with the War," Luna commented, indistinctly. "Professor McGonagall mentioned his assistance with fighting Voldemort, but the problem is, we haven't seen him since the day after he arrived. Well, I don't mean us personally, we only heard talk of him at the Order meetings that followed. The Doctor and his lady-friend left around the same time that Harry and the others left, apparently, so we think they may have gone together."

"So Teri's magic worked, then," Jack muttered, more to himself than to the others. "She's got him. She's managed to help. I wonder if he's worked it out, yet … "

"Is Teri your friend?" Neville asked, frowning.

"Yes," Jack replied, clearly. "Do you know where she is? We … er … fell, and I must have been knocked unconscious. I don't know what's happened to her. She should have been here."

"Perhaps she's invisible," Luna put in, helpfully. Jack's eyebrows were beginning to ache from over-use, and he turned to Neville questioningly. Neville simply grinned broadly, shook his head once and mouthed, 'Luna likes to come out with these random comments, just play along, everybody else does'. Jack nodded, grinning, as he noticed Luna's vague smile as she curled a stray lock of hair around her index finger.

"Perhaps," he sighed, beaming. His smile faltered as he heard a clattering above them, and raised his eyes to the ceiling of the long, and unsurprisingly white, corridor. "What was that?"

"Might have been Professor Lupin and the Order members who came with us," Neville replied, following Jack's gaze. "Come on, we'd better go see if we can help. Perhaps we'll find your friend on the way, Jack. She can't be far away."

"Maybe," Jack murmured, unconvinced. "Just out of curiosity, where exactly are we? Where was I being kept?"

"Why, we're privileged, Jack!" Luna exclaimed delightedly. "We're the first people to _ever _break into Voldemort's secret hide-out! Gosh, didn't you know?"

Luna and Neville turned in time to see the odd, evil-looking grin break across Jack's face, and they swapped a look.

"No, I didn't know, as a matter of fact. Well, well, well, the encounter draws ever nearer. This crack-pot's reign is drawing to a close, and I'm going to have a front seat. Once I get my hands on him, he isn't going to know what's hit his little perfect world."

Neville shrugged, and Luna paused, smiling faintly, waiting for Jack to catch them up.

With one last look at the ceiling of his cell, Jack followed Neville and Luna out and along the pallid corridor, the gun loaded and ready for firing, a growing worry for Teri chasing around his head, and a new spurt of energy flying through his veins, as he thought of just how soon he could be reunited with the Doctor and Rose.

* * *

"Welcome back to reality, my dear." 

Teri felt her blood boil beneath her skin as the piercing voice sliced through her fumbling brain. _Don't open your eyes. Don't open 'em! Whatever you do, don't look!_

"Oh, come now, surely you didn't want to sleep through all the fun, did you? You're awake, now, so why pretend you're not? I have something to show you."

Teri couldn't stop herself. Her whole body shaking, she forced her eyes open, blinking against the dim light of the chamber. Automatically, her dulled-by-pain eyes sought out her captor, who was standing a few paces ahead, apparently leaning against the wall, although she couldn't see him clearly.

The looming shadow beside her caught her attention, and a tiny cry of shock and horror left her throat as she realised where she was.

"Ahh, you noticed. Good. Welcome back, _Time Lady_."

Teri closed her eyes, internally screaming.

"How did you know?"

"Tests, my dear."

"Oh, God," Teri murmured, shaking her head. "This isn't real," she whispered frantically.

"Oh, I'm afraid it is unmistakably real. No dreams for you here. You merely live your worst nightmares."

"You know about the Doctor," Teri sighed, her head lolling onto her chest resignedly as she concluded that resisting would do nothing but increase the pain she was set for. Voldemort grinned wickedly, twirling his wand between his unnaturally long and thin fingers as though bored with the proceedings.

"Yes, thanks to you, I do. Not as much as I'd like to know, but still enough to be going along with. So, a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey. Another world for me to conquer as soon as I've left here, I believe, although you seem to know surprisingly little about your home planet. Why is that?"

"I –I, I've never -"

"You've never been? How odd. Somehow I just can't believe that, my dear. But not to worry, not to worry. I shall know the truth soon. I suggest you relax from here on in, otherwise it is going to become unbearably painful for you."

"No!" Teri cried, shaking her head viciously as she kicked out, suddenly realising just how securely fastened to the machine she now was. Her kick had no effect save giving her the impression that she had just torn a ligament. Hissing with pain, she watched helplessly as Voldemort paced forwards, his wand pointing at the power switch on the body of the machine beside her.

Laughing softly, he gave it a swift _flick _and stopped beside her as a softly glowing orange light burst into life amidst the endless grey, accompanied by a small rumbling sound. A second later, Teri was fighting desperately against the helmet that was robotically attaching itself to her head.

Once again, just as on her previous visit to Voldemort's secret laboratory, her desperate protests were drowned out as the machine stuttered into life. The swift hiss of power sliced instantly into her skull as her eyesight went black, and Teri could do nothing but scream as the probes began sifting through her memories carelessly, tossing aside those they didn't need.

"Not long now, Time Lady," Voldemort declared, delightedly. "Another few hours and you will be free. Don't fear your knowledge will be wasted, for there is no chance of that."

In response, Teri simply screamed even louder.

* * *

The Master stumbled to a halt before a wrought iron gate, glancing back as Fred, George, Ron and Ginny stopped behind, glancing nervously over their shoulders, their wands still grasped tightly and aimed directly at his hearts. 

"Well, get it open, then!" Rose snapped from beside him, her eyes narrowed with suspicion and hatred.

"What with?" he snapped back, glaring.

"Well, how should I know? You're the one who's been wandering about down here; learning secret after secret about God knows what! How did you get out last time? When you had me and the Doctor to carry along as well?"

"Oh, of course," the Master sighed. With a final glance at Rose's determined expression, he reached into his pocket and withdrew a tiny knife.

"Blood donation?" Ginny asked, frowning.

"That's all that worked last time, or else I wouldn't be standing her with my hand out and a knife ready in the other one, would I?" he replied scathingly. Ginny glared back, but held her tongue. Ron stepped forwards, emphasising his wand point.

"Get on with it, already! Hermione's in there!"

Feeling suddenly apathetic, Rose reached out a hand and gestured to the knife, her expression serious.

"Let me," she said, her face set. Surprised by his refusal, Rose stepped forward. "You've done it once already, and it's only a scratch. Please, let me do this one. The Doctor wouldn't want unnecessary blood-shed, and knowing you, you'd probably cut your whole hand off, just to prove a point."

Smiling faintly, the Master sighed again and handed the knife over. "How well you know me, Miss Tyler."

"Oh, I know a lot more than you think. I can read people like a book, you know," Rose replied conversationally, as she focused on shifting her attention away from the sharp blade hovering inches above her left hand. Grimacing, she dug it as far into her palm as she dared, withdrawing it quickly as the initial sting began to wear off. "Where's it go?"

"Here," the Master pointed at a shaft on the gate which seemed to be larger than its surrounding iron poles, "this bar, here." Rose wiped her palm obediently down the bar, and grinned with an unnoticed relief as the gate swung gently forwards, allowing them to pass through.

"Okay, good. Now, where did you leave Hermione?"

"The same place you left her. Behind that statue, over there."

Rose ran on ahead, Ron tearing along behind her as the others forced themselves on, attempting to keep a similar pace but failing as they tried to keep the Master completely covered with their wands.

By the time they had reached the statue, Rose and Ron were kneeling beside Hermione, who was lying peacefully on the ground behind the cat-fairy-like statue, her auburn locks fanning out around her head.

"Here you go, then, Hermione," Rose murmured, as she uncorked the vial the Doctor had entrusted to her, and held it over the young girls' mouth. A few drops were all that remained of the orange restorative, but they were enough.

After a few anxious seconds, the onlookers watched with relief as Hermione's eyes fluttered open, her partially yellowed-eyes fading back to brown in front of them. Ron beamed, and leant forwards, dragging Hermione up into a rib-crushing hug as the young girl struggled to focus on those around her.

"That's much better," Rose smiled. "Trust me, any longer and you wouldn't have been feeling at _all_ like yourself, Hermione. I know, I've had first-hand experience!"

Hermione blinked and turned to her, staring at Rose over Ron's shoulder as he refused to let her go.

"Why? What happened? I was looking for Ron … but then I can't remember what happened afterwards."

"I'm not surprised," Ginny answered, glaring at the Master. Hermione noticed, and frowned.

"Who are you?" she asked, suspiciously.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Call me … your ticket out of this place," the Master replied.

"Hold on, one second! We have to find Harry and the Doctor, first, remember?" Fred and George called across, wands poised.

"What's the point in trying? There won't be anything for us to trace!"

"Don't say that," Rose murmured, dangerously. "Don't you _dare_ say that! Don't even _think _it! They're fine, they're alive and healthy and doing exactly what we all should be doing, right now; saving the world! Stopping the crazed mad-men who are ruining the lives of millions! Now, we're going back to your ship, we're tracing the Doctor, and we're getting the Hell away from this place, _together_! Any questions?" Rose finished, resolutely.

The Master sighed and shook his head.

"The TARDIS is this way," he offered, reluctantly pointing across the bridge to another ice-sculpture on the other side.

"That's more like it," Rose said, briskly, jumping to her feet, leaning down to help Hermione find her balance, and then waiting patiently for the Master to lead the way. "After you," she called, brightly, as the twins, Ginny, Ron and Hermione fell into place behind her.

Mumbling incoherently about time wasters, the Master shook his head and turned on his heel, marching off across the chamber towards the monumental bridge.

* * *

**Hmm, I _think_ I like this chapter, but I'm not entirely sure. It's kinda late, so I guess I'll know properly tomorrow. But the pieces are beginning to 'Fall into Place', now. And I can honestly say that I'm sure I can see where this is all going! ;D **

**Anywho, I'd like to know what you think, in the meantime! Please review, reviews make me ever so happy!** **Update coming soon, I hope! Thanks for reading!  
**

**xXx MissHaunted MoonLight xXx **


	21. Two Plus Two Makes Problems

**Thank you shouts to daffodilTARDIS, fallenavalon, Tai Greywing, The Tenth Doctor's Companion and Rusty4Coke! **

**LittleGinny15: **Grins, what comedies? Erm, My Family, Blackadder, dinnerladies, My Hero … can't remember what else I watched, now. More than that, though! ;D I can't believe it's all over. Poor Rose, we'll miss her. Still, she can live on within our stories, can't she? Thank you for reviewing again, hon! Means a lot, it really does! xXx

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Thank you! I've definitely taken that stem of advice. 'Be Yourself'. Wow, it works, just thought I'd tell you. I now officially have a social life! And it feels damn good to say it! The whole love/hate relationship … I'd like to say you won't have to put up with it much more, but I'd probably be lying … so sorry about that. Still, I think I'm gonna officially class it as a part of my style of writing, just because I seem to be using them a lot lately. They just provide such good break off points for the chapters! If I can avoid them, at least once, I will, but don't hold me to that! ;D Thanks for reviewing, and all your help has been amazing! xXx

**Whoops, is that the date? Eek, didn't realise it'd been that long since my last update. Time's just flown lately, what with the end of school and my newly acquired out-every-night policy. Can't and won't complain, 'cause I love it! But apologies for such a long wait! Here you go, and thanks for your patience!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine, yadda, yadda, yadda, you all know the drill by now …**

**Reference to (although you may not know it yet, you will by the time we've finished ;D) 'Resurrection of The Daleks', Peter Davison. (Cookies to anyone who can spot it before it's revealed!)**

**This one was a _killer_ to write, so apologies if it doesn't all make complete sense. I _will _make it make sense before the end, even if that means coming back and rewriting it again … anything you don't understand, let me know, 'cause I just can't seem to find what's gone weird with it … Trust me, it didn't make much sense to me, either. But enjoy, anyway!**

**

* * *

**

**Two Plus Two Makes Problems  
**

Rose felt the plummeting atmosphere immediately, and her blood ran cold. Goosebumps erupting up her arms, she stopped in her tracks and blinked, her breath freezing in her throat. Staring about, her eyes sharp, she hesitated as the teens passed by, walking quickly in an attempt to keep up with the Master. Hermione was leaning against Ron, whose arm was held securely around her waist to provide support, and they were whispering urgently to one another. Ginny was rushing on ahead, her body tense and her eyes focused squarely on their destination; the Master's ice-sculptured time ship, while the twins appeared strangely distant from it all.

So what wasn't right?

"Wait, stop!" she called, suddenly. As the wizards obliged, the Master turned and sighed in exasperation, throwing his arms impatiently up into the air. Obviously forced exasperation, at that.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake! What is it _now_?" he demanded, pointing a few metres ahead of them. "The TARDIS is over there! Why stop inches from it when we've got enough to be getting on with already?"

Rose glared at him, but it lacked any sort of conviction.

"Something isn't right. This was too easy," she announced, glancing around the chamber again. Every nerve was on end, and she shuddered visibly.

"And that's a bad thing?" Ron muttered, peering at her through narrowed eyes. "I say we count our lucky stars and get out of this place as fast as we can. Come on, Rose, we don't wanna be hanging around down here any longer than we have to. Like he says, we're there, practically. Let's just concentrate on finding Harry and the Doctor, rather than dwelling on our ease of escape, yeah?"

Rose shook her head.

"I can't, Ron," she replied, her expression serious. "Can none of you feel it? Something is really wrong, here."

"Look, they're right, Rose. We need to get away from here, now!" Ginny said, tensely. "Harry and the Doctor may need our help. It isn't safe."

"Exactly," Rose murmured, glaring at the TARDIS. Her expression unconvinced, she turned to the Master, her eyes narrowed. "I don't trust you," she stated, bluntly, "and I have a really nasty feeling about that TARDIS of yours."

"Oh, here we go," the Master murmured, glaring back. "Look, Little Miss Prissy, is this _really_ the right time to be having trust issues?"

"You've come so incredibly close to killing me, Hermione and the Doctor within the space of a few short hours! Can you really blame me for not trusting you? How do we know that the second we step through those doors we won't be shot down, or something?" Rose demanded, her temper simmering just below boiling point. "You don't _need_ us for anything, after all!"

"And what possible motives would I have for _that_?" he shouted back, furious.

"You didn't mind me killing the Doctor before, did you? You found it highly amusing, as I recall. So what's changed?"

"I _did_ mind, actually," he raged, storming forwards to stop in front of her, so close she had to blink and step backwards to keep him in view. Almost nose to nose, the rage in his eyes was somewhat disturbing, but Rose refused to break it. He paused, eyes skating her features, then he reached forwards, one finger stroking her cheek and sending shivers coursing along her spine.

"I did mind. I minded terribly, in fact," he spoke quietly, his eyes blazing. Rose shivered as he pulled away. "I was worried for a moment, you know. Worried he was dead and, even more so, worried for myself. I couldn't have that, you see. No, I thought, that would be _disastrous_, if he was dead. So it was lucky for all of us that he survived your attack, Rose. And more lucky for me than I would care to admit."

Rose frowned.

"Why? What did you need him for?"

The Master flicked a speck of dust absent-mindedly from the cuff of his sleeve and smiled. "Which version of the truth do you want? The one I gave him?" Rose shrugged, and his smile widened. "Yes, that _is_ the safest, I don't mind confessing. Okay then, my TARDIS was damaged."

Rose snorted in disbelief.

"That's it? Because he can repair your ship? That's the only reason you wanted him, is it?"

"Oh, my dear, _no_!" he laughed, stepping back and grinning evilly at her. "Just because that's what I told _him_ doesn't make it the truth, now, does it? There's nothing wrong with my TARDIS."

"So why did you tell him there was?"

"Do you really think I'd be stupid enough to tell you that?"

Fuming, Rose stepped forwards, glaring daggers at his indifferent grin. She stopped in front of him, almost nose to nose once again, although it was the Master who had to step backwards this time. Her voice was low, dangerous, unnatural.

"You're just a liar. A worthless, good-for-nothing liar with a revenge kick, aren't you?" Rose spat, disgusted. The Master laughed again, coldly.

"Indeed, one could say that … or … I prefer to see myself as a _survivor_. Those who follow orders tend to live longer than those who rebel."

Rose paused, her brain aching.

"Wait, wait a minute, orders from who?"

"All in good time, my dear. All in good time."

"_Orders from who_? Who's after the Doctor?" Rose demanded, cold fury pulsing through her veins.

"It's Voldemort, isn't it?" Ginny asked, suddenly, her face dark and her eyes blazing. "That's who you're working for. You're working with Voldemort."

"That name means nothing to me, Miss Weasley. I do _not_ know who I am working for, and neither would I tell you if I did."

Rose laughed, a twinge of hysteria hidden behind her cold, disbelieving cackle.

"How the Hell can you _not_ know who you're working for?"

"I don't, Rose, accept that and be done. We are wasting time here, and I know for a fact that your Time Lord friend is going to be the one paying the price when the clock finally stops."

"Which brings us back full circle," Hermione interrupted, shaking her head. "How can we trust you, knowing that you're after the Doctor?"

"Who says I'm after the Doctor?" the Master asked delicately.

"_You_ just did! You said you were following orders!" was Fred and George's incredulous response.

"And is there proof to suggest that I'm not secretly working _with_ the Doctor _against_ the one who gave me the orders?"

Rose paused, flustered.

"Well … well, no, not really, b-but -"

"Then you should know that _that_ is exactly what I am doing. We came to an agreement while you were unconscious, my dear. We are going to work _together_ to find out how we both came to be here. I was as surprised as you were to end up in the Underworld, believe me."

"And that's just it. I _don't_ believe you! The Doctor would never agree to that!"

"Well _start_ believing it, or things are going to become incredibly difficult for you, Miss Tyler!" the Master snapped back, turning on his heel and pacing the remaining few steps to his TARDIS. Rose glared after him, fuming, and turned to see the teens staring back at her with identical scowls on their faces. At their silent questions of what had just happened, she sighed, shrugging, and waved half-heartedly at them to follow him. Ginny paused, letting the others pass her wordlessly as the Master fumbled with a tiny key, pulling it free of his pocket.

"You're right, Rose," she murmured, shaking her head. "We _can't_ trust him. But I don't really think we have a choice in the matter at the moment. He's the only one who can trace the Doctor, isn't he?"

Rose nodded once, a curt, impatient nod.

"And I'm worried that tracking the Doctor means sending him into an even greater danger. There's no way the Doctor would work with _him_, no way on this Earth. He may have trusted the Master enough to bring us here, but he wouldn't work with someone so deceitful to bring down whoever's behind all of this. I'm sure he's wondered as much as we have just how involved the Master really is, and it must have occurred to him that it could well be him who's brought us here, no matter what stories he's told. He's after the Doctor, I can feel it. We need to warn him, Gin!"

"Yeah, but how?" Ginny asked, hopelessly. "We need to track them first! And only the Master can do that!"

Rose paused, frowning in concentration. Suddenly inspired, she turned to Ginny, her eyes glowing with determination.

"Alright, then. We play along. We _let_ the Master take us to the Doctor … but we find him and Harry before the Master can. We find them, and warn them; tell them _everything_ the Master's said, everything about following orders, his stories about working with the Doctor, everything!"

Ginny nodded in agreement and smiled grimly.

"He might even have worked it out for himself, Rose."

Rose grinned.

"Y'know, he probably has, an' all."

Walking in step, they made for the now open door of the Master's TARDIS, just as the others stepped inside. Ginny stepped through first, but Rose paused again, a hand on the door frame.

The feeling had returned.

And so had the Goosebumps.

She grimaced and pulled her hand away.

"Gin!" she whispered, urgently. Ginny poked her head out of the door again, and Rose indicated the other side of a near-by genuine sculpture a few metres behind the Master's TARDIS. Ginny caught the message and followed, glancing back momentarily at the Master, who was standing beside the console of his ship, muttering to himself.

Rose grasped her arm quickly and pulled her down, crouching behind the sculpture with a fierce look burning within her eyes.

"I felt it again," she murmured, hurriedly.

"What?"

"That … that feeling that there's something amiss, something really bad. And it was when I touched his TARDIS! We _can't_ go in there, Gin!"

Ginny simply stared at her. Rose rubbed unconsciously at her arms, and sighed. Hit by a sudden thought, she looked up, frowning.

"Why did he let us find out about all of that?" she whispered, directly. Ginny shrugged.

"Trying to prove a point? That he's honest and that we should trust what he says about working with the Doctor?" she suggested, her voice equally hushed. "Maybe he thought if he gave away enough to convince us, like about him getting orders from somewhere, we'd stop questioning his loyalties. Fat lot o' good that's done for him, 'cause I trust him even less now than I did before." Rose shook her head quickly, sparing a glance at the door before turning back to Ginny.

"No, I don't think that's it," she replied, frowning. "I mean, why make such a show of exasperation when I told you all to stop if it's just because he's trying to prove himself? No, I think he's playing for time."

"_Will you two hurry up!_" came an impatient shout from within the TARDIS.

Ginny looked up, murmuring, "doesn't sound like it, sounds more like rushing, to me." She straightened slightly, a hand cupping her mouth as she shouted back; "I dropped my wand and Rose is helping me find it! Give us a minute, will you!"

Silence replied. Ginny grinned and dropped down again, her expression dropping at once.

"Why would he be playing for time? Do you think he doesn't want us to find the Doctor?"

Rose shook her head.

"No, something else. He _needs_ the Doctor, I know he does, so he's obviously going to be taking us to find him ... " and she trailed off, her eyes wide with comprehension. Suddenly fearful, she glared at the TARDIS door again, her expression dark. "It's about us," she whispered, resolutely.

"Sorry, you've lost me," Ginny replied, shaking her head in confusion. Rose grabbed her shoulders quickly, squeezing them gently but firmly, and Ginny stared at her.

"Think about it," she countered, "what's the _one_ thing he's after, right now?"

"The Doctor," Ginny answered.

"And don't you think _we_ could be a problem?"

"No, not really," Ginny said, her eyes wide. "How could we be a threat to him? We want to find the Doctor as much as he does."

"_Exactly_!" Rose exclaimed, quietly. "But for a different reason! Don't you see? I was right! He _does_ want the Doctor, and he _is_ working against him! We're not, so we're a threat! He isn't going to want us running to the Doctor with everything he's just told us, is he?"

"So … so why did he tell us, again?" Ginny countered, stumped.

"Because he's planned something that's gonna get us out of the way," Rose hurried, her eyes now darting around the chamber. "I knew I could feel something, something out of place in here. Something _wrong_! It's him! He's done something! And he's told us because he isn't going to expect us to get to the Doctor in time!"

Ginny paled.

"I'm getting pretty sick and tired of waiting!" the Master shouted, furious. A moment later, he was standing in the doorway. Rose and Ginny jumped up, Ginny pulling her wand from her pocket as she did so.

"Found it!" she called back, and they hurried forward. The Master shook his head and retreated back into the TARDIS.

"We can't go in there, Gin!" Rose muttered, desperately. Ginny pointed at a hallway off the chamber, but then gasped.

"The others!" she shot back, terrified. "They're already in there!"

Rose's eyes widened in horror and they stared at each other.

"We can't leave without them!" Ginny said, turning as she spoke and heading straight for the TARDIS.

"No, Gin, _wait_!"

But Ginny was running full speed to the open door. Terrified, Rose shot after her, stopping just behind and staring in shock as Ginny pushed through with brute force.

"About time!" came a snap, and Rose frowned. "Where's Rose?"

"Sh-she's, she's coming," Ginny replied, stuttering.

"Call her in, Gin!"

The relief Rose felt flow through her at the sound of Ron's voice was overwhelming. But it was quickly replaced by out-right confusion. Had she been wrong? Maybe the Master _was_ working with the Doctor after all, if he hadn't harmed the others …

Suddenly furious with herself for wasting so much time, she pelted through the doors after Ginny, who was now standing at the top of the ramp, staring at her brothers and Hermione as they waited beside the console.

"You alright?" she asked, nervously. Ron, Hermione, Fred and George all nodded, confused. The Master slammed his thumb down on a large button and the doors swung shut behind Rose, sending her three feet into the air with shock.

"All finished? Good, so can we get on with this, please? Only I've got a meeting in about two hours' time, and I don't really want to miss it."

Hermione stared at him, her eyes now narrowed slits.

"A meeting with who?" she asked, suspiciously.

"And that would be your business, how, exactly?"

"Just curious, that's all," she replied, quietly. "You _did_ just say you were as surprised as us to end up here … so I was just wondering how it came to be that you could have the time … after being here mere _hours_ … how you had the time to arrange a meeting with somebody in a world you've never been to before, a world where you never expected to turn up in."

"I have contacts, my dear," he leered, avoiding her gaze. Hermione glanced up at Rose, who was watching the Master with a shrewdly calculating expression. Rose noticed her looking, and she nodded, before something sitting dangerously on the edge of the console caught her attention.

A small, wooden box.

She stared at it, her heart racing. Hermione had spotted it, too. Discreetly raising her wand, the girl waved it slightly, and her eyes narrowed with fury as she turned back to Rose. And Rose took her look at face value; whatever Hermione had seen inside that box was intended for them. After a moment's pause, she spoke up.

"Found him, yet?" she asked, airily.

"The tracing of a Time Lord's genetic biodata is an incredibly strenuous task, Miss Tyler," he snapped back in reply. "So as it happens, I have not found the Doctor, no."

Rose nodded her understanding.

"Yes, of course," she said, cheerfully. Ron, Fred and George were all staring at her. Ron opened his mouth, the question; 'what are you so happy about?' ready on his lips, but Hermione and Ginny had caught on already. Hermione elbowed him, whispering to him as inconspicuously as she could, while Ginny grasped her wand tightly within the pocket of her robes. Rose stepped up to the console, staring indifferently over the Master's shoulder as he punched strange codes and symbols into the computer. "And you do, of course, know what you're doing?"

"Such a ridiculous question, Miss Tyler."

"Of course it is, I'm sorry," she laughed. Ginny was edging around the console, while Ron's eyes widened in surprise as Hermione straightened up. He glanced across at Rose for clearance, who nodded once, and turned to Fred and George, muttering to them what had just been revealed to him; the contents of the small, wooden box.

"What do you want?" the Master asked suddenly, halting his fingers and grasping the console with both hands as he waited for Rose's reply.

"Who, me?" Rose asked, smiling. "Oh, nothing! Nothing at all! We just want to find the Doctor, don't we, Gin?"

"Absolutely all we want," Ginny grinned back, continuing to edge around the console.

The Master turned to Rose, the distrust radiating from him in waves.

"What are you up to?" he asked, quietly, glaring at her.

"_Nothing_! I just want you to hurry up, that's all! Can't _wait_ to see the Doctor again!"

A small smile twisted the corners of his lips as he turned away.

"Oh, working too slow, am I? Sorry, I shall try harder in future. And if it eases your discomfort at all … we're moving already."

Rose glanced momentarily at the column. And so they were.

"We are indeed," she said, her happy façade momentarily flaring to a stroke of pure glee at the thought of meeting up with the Doctor again. But she wouldn't yet … they still didn't know _where_ they were moving to …

Fred and George moved across to Rose, stopping either side and leaning casually against the console, arms folded. But folded and encasing their wands. They, too, now knew what was encased within that little, wooden box ...

"So we're outa there, then," Fred said, smiling.

"Never to return," George added, his face breaking, too.

"Which means we won't be needing those," Ron called, pointing offhandedly at the box that was perched perilously on the edge of the column. The Master stopped mid-movement, his face blank.

"Ahh, you saw it," was all he would say.

"Yes, we saw it," Rose replied conversationally, nodding. "Pretty hard not to, actually. So … tell me … if you really _are_ working with the Doctor … and you really _are_ helping us to reach him … why did you need to stock up on vials of purple mutating water?"

"How did you know what was in there?" he asked, frustrated.

"Me!" Hermione called, beaming.

"Never underestimate a seventeen-year-old witch," Rose added, grinning evilly. "So, back to my question, _why_ are they on board this ship, if you're working with us?"

"Insurance," the Master answered, returning to work with an indifferent shrug.

"Right, so they're in no way going to be used to stop us, then." Rose laughed, her fists clenching. "That was a relief. I thought for a minute there, there was something you wanted us to keep stumped about. As if you were hoping to use them on us to force us to keep a little something from the Doctor. Maybe, say, something about your as-good-as confession about forcing the Doctor on board your TARDIS by lying about its condition."

"Oh how silly, why should I do that? They are simply there so that I have something to use as a weapon against anything that may harm us once we reach the Doctor."

"Because that's where we're going, right? Yeah, of course it is," Rose grinned. "You wouldn't _lie_ to us."

Hermione stepped forwards, soon flanked by the twins, Ron and Ginny. Five wands whirled out from inside their pockets around him, and the Master froze.

Stepping in front of the Weasley's, her arm steady, Hermione addressed him directly, Rose moving in behind her and placing an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

"So if these are just for insurance," she began, turning quickly to catch the box as Ginny - who had been standing directly beside it after moving into position - threw it across to her. She turned back, waving it absently in front of his face, and continued, "And you're working with us … working with the Doctor … and are in no way taking hostile action against us … why are there no orange antidotes in here?"

She paused, her voice dangerously low. And then whispered threateningly, waving her wand to emphasise her point, "Me, Rose, Ginny, Ron, Fred, George and Harry. We're all working with the Doctor … And we all stand directly in your path to him. Seven of us. So I must ask … if you really _are _working with us, and you really _do_ expect us to take your accounts of helping the Doctor as the truth … why, then, are there seven vials of that potion? Exactly one for each of us?"

* * *

Vague, simple images were swimming across the view-screen of the machine, but she couldn't see them. Not any more. She didn't need to. She could see them well enough within her own burning mind. 

But something was wrong.

The pain was fading.

They weren't _her_ memories …

Suddenly terrified, she threw her head to the side, attempting to see his outline, despite her burning eyes. And a blink later, he swam into view before her, clear as crystal. "What … what have you done?" she murmured, glaring at him.

"Discovered the truth. Oh, yes, we know all about your mind link with the Doctor, you know." The words cut through her like ice, searing her hearts as the machine worked on tearing at her brain.

"You _can't_! You'll _kill_ him!" she cried, shaking her head desperately, but her attempts to free herself were rendered useless.

"Oh?" came the amused response. "How so?"

"Don't you understand? If I can't help him, there won't be anything left for you to find!" she gasped.

"Oh, I'm not all that interested in _finding_ him, my dear. I just want him out of the way. Which is why I've adapted this technique of memory extraction. We'll simply take _his_ memories from _you_. Quite ingenious, really. Killing when the subject could be light-years away. A fascinating concept that I must be congratulated on, don't you think?"

Teri felt her hearts stop, as his words floated around her pounding head.

_We'll simply take _his_ memories from _you. _Killing when the subject could be light-years away. _

His_ memories from _you …

Suddenly furious, Teri stilled her struggles, knowing they were pointless, now, anyway.

"Killing the Doctor through my mind? You've got _no_ chance!" she rumbled.

Voldemort laughed, the sound echoing around the room, bouncing from the walls. "And how did you intend to stop me?"

"Believe me, I _will_!" she promised.

"My Lord!"

Still laughing disbelievingly, Voldemort turned to the door of the lab and nodded as a rather flustered-looking guard stepped over the threshold. He smiled dangerously at her, and departed into the corridor with him, leaving Teri staring blindly at unfamiliar memories and crazed creatures from far off galaxies. Creatures she had never seen before, and probably never would. Creatures from the Doctor's past.

"I _will _stop you if it's the last thing I do," she muttered to the empty room, as whatever Voldemort had been told by his Head Guard sent him retreating through the corridors, slamming the door shut behind him. "There is one sure-as-Hell way I can help the Doctor, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let you stop me!"

Steeling herself, his face – her _own_ memory of him, this time – swam before her eyes, and consequently on the view-screen, too. She smiled grimly, as the pressure in her head began to build. The assault on her mind strengthened, but the scream she wanted to make never left her throat.

Instead, with an enormous effort of will, the connection was reversed.

* * *

"_How_ did this happen?" he raged, his cloak billowing out behind him as he stormed through the corridors, wand whipping out with a flourish. 

"We don't know, My Lord. Nobody knows how they penetrated the barriers. There is a large group up on the first floor, though."

"Then we must meet and greet them. Shame on me, where are my manners? Guests at my disclosed establishment should be made as uncomfortable as possible. Come, I know a quicker way."

* * *

The Doctor fell to his knees with a cry of pain, as a searing sting, sharp as red-hot barbed wire snagged through his head. Hands instantly tearing at his hair, he fell sideways, convulsing. 

Harry turned at the shout, and spotted his writhing outline through the beam of wand-light.

"Doctor!" he shouted, running back. Their Tour-Guide-Voice was also recalled, almost automatically, as though drawn to the Doctor's side.

"It has started," It murmured, suddenly, sadly, and Harry turned in time to see a pair of blazing blue eyes flicker into life a few feet from him. "I fear we may be too late."

"Harry, get back!" the Doctor gasped, sending Harry to an urgent stand-still, feet above him.

"Why?"

"I … I've h-had this … before," he ground out, his mind on fire. "I know … what's going on!"

But just as suddenly as it had come, the pain vanished. The Doctor was left lying on the ground, pain bursting from almost every other part of his body, but nothing but a dull headache to suggest anything had ever happened to his mind. Breathing heavily, he forced himself to his feet, grimacing.

"What happened?" Harry asked, quietly, offering an arm until the Doctor could regain his balance.

"I, er, I think I know what's going on," he said after a moment's pause. "I don't know how, and I don't know why, neither do I completely believe it … but I do think our friend here knows somebody who does. We'd better go and see your Master."

* * *

"How many floors are there in this place, again?" 

"Three. First floor, ground floor and cellar."

Jack nodded and made for the staircase, Luna and Neville following at an equally hurried pace.

"Then we go up first, help out your mates, and then get down to the cellar and find Teri. A place like this, take anyone for questioning and it'll _always_ be down in the cellar. Must be in the handbook."

"What handbook?" Luna asked with uncharted interested.

"'The Evil Genius's Guide to World Domination', or something. There's gotta be a book on it, by now, I mean it's been going on for ever!"

Neville grinned.

"You want evil books? Try reading 'A History of Magic'."

"Sounds taxing," Jack agreed.

"Taxing? You'd have to be suicidal!"

Snorting, Jack took the stairs two at a time, gun out and pointing. The shouts and bangs from above pounded through his ears and he grinned somewhat manically.

"Back in action, boys and girls!" he shouted, gleefully. "God, I could never get tired of this!"

They rounded a corner and pelted through the first floor corridor, coming to a sliding halt outside the only open door in the hallway. Jack glimpsed a grand but disturbingly dark room beyond the open door, complete with marble floor and towering marble pillars. He paused.

"Wait a minute, are there dungeons in this place?" he asked, suddenly confused.

"No, only those rooms, like the one you were locked in. This isn't his 'house house', it's just his 'house', if you know what I mean," Neville replied, frowning. "It's his lab, a hide-out located a little better than his hillside manor."

Jack stared at him, dumbfounded.

"So where was I being kept before? His 'hillside manor' would have dungeons, wouldn't it?"

"I guess so," Neville said, failing to see any logic to Jack's rambling.

"So … falling through a black pit transported us from his house to his labs with nary a word. That's some magic," he admitted, reluctantly impressed.

"Come on!" Luna shouted from the doorway. "They might need our help!"

Shaken from his wonderings by her shout, Jack bolted for the door, leaving a privately disgruntled Neville running on after him.

* * *

Harry stopped in his tracks, catching the Doctor by the arm before he could walk past. The Doctor stared at him, his eyebrows raised, and Harry folded his arms. 

"What's going on?" he asked, bluntly.

The Doctor shook his head.

"Not until I know for sure, Harry."

"Look, I know what I saw, Doctor. I know because I've seen things like it before. That was a mind assault, someone's gotten into your head. And I only know one person insane enough to work like that. Trust me, and tell me what you know. What if he tries it again? I need to know what's going on so I can talk to our friend about it."

The Doctor grinned.

"Like the logic in that, Harry, well done."

"Thanks," Harry grinned back. "Taught by Hermione, you often pick up little tricks like that. So come on, what's there to know about all this?"

The Doctor frowned.

"There's a mind link, somewhere. Which is what I meant about not knowing how or why. My people had ways of communicating away from speech, and that was one of the ways. Our minds were connected, not easily noticeable, but if you looked and thought hard enough, you could link with any other Gallifreyan. And as far as I'm aware, no other species can directly connect with a Time Lord. And yet … that attack was somehow established through someone else. I have a strong idea as to what technology is behind it, because I've come across similar technology in the past. Intended for me, but activated through someone else, through someone who has a link with me ... But I can't think why it stopped so soon, or who it was."

"What do you mean, 'stopped so soon'?"

"Well, they can't have had the time to find whatever it was they were looking for if they cut the search after a few seconds. They were looking for _something_, but at the same time, that attack would have drained everything, should it have continued. It nearly did, the last time I experienced it. Had they left it on, I'd be dead, right about now, in fact."

Harry nodded, and unfolded his arms. Frowning, he scrunched his eyes and scratched absently at his head.

"So, making a mental note, what do we need to find out about while we're here? Well, there's what we came for, obviously, which is the names and locations of the three … or possibly _two _… missing Horcruxes, finding out who saved you using a transference of mental energy after Rose attacked you, who's got a mental connection with you and how, who the Hell's behind the sudden attack-of-every-Beast-from-your-memory stunt, and where the Hell the others have got to. Piece o' cake, we'll be outa there in ten, twenty tops."

The Doctor nodded vaguely, rubbing at his head. Harry looked across, worried.

"You alright?" he asked.

The Doctor nodded again, but his grimace was enough to convince Harry that something wasn't right.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, just a head-ache. Probably thanks to that violation of privacy back there," the Doctor replied, forcing his hand down and turning back to Harry.

He froze, something clicking into place.

"Harry, you're a _genius_!" he shouted, suddenly.

"Am I? How so?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"'The Attack-of-every-Beast-from-you-memory' bit! _That'__s_ what they were looking for! They're after Creatures and Enemies from my past!"

Harry gaped at him.

"And how did you work that out?"

"Think about it! So many creatures from my past coming after us, things that shouldn't exist in your world! Why else would they be here? They've been summoned in an attempt to ... ahh," and he trailed off.

"Summoned here to ... what?"

"Well, either kill me, or ... dunno, war party, maybe? Army of aliens, perhaps? That might make sense. Could be anything. Just guessing, so we should add that to our list of 'to-asks'. Who needs an army of aliens, why they need an army of aliens ... _if_ anyone needs an army of aliens should be the first one of the three we ask, I think."

Harry nodded mutely in agreement. Suddenly very aware of a pair of large, staring eyes, he rounded on their Guide, who was watching them, balefully.

"We really do need to hurry," the Voice said, quietly.

The Doctor stared at the Creature's eyes, smiling sadly.

"You know, for a Demon, you're not so bad, really," he said.

"This wasn't a life I chose for myself," the Voice replied, and the Doctor was surprised to hear real sadness behind his chipped but hushed tones. "Nor is it a life I would choose for my family. And yet that choice has been made away from my knowledge."

Harry felt his heart bleed for it.

"You're family's here, too?" he asked. The blue eyes slid up and down, as though the head to which they belonged to was nodding.

"Against all of my effortful attempts to prevent it, they were brought down, too."

The Doctor frowned.

"What are you?" he asked, curious. "Where are you from?"

"Yes, of course, you can't see, can you? Strengthen the light, Harry Potter."

"Why? You ran from it before," Harry reminded It. The eyes portrayed nodding again, and a small chuckle broke the endless black silence.

"Yes, but, if you're going to help my Master, then you don't seem so bad, yourselves. He may be round the wrong nut tree, but there's something a little different about you two, something I haven't seen since my days up tops. Just … don't tell anybody about this, or … well … "

"Yeah, we understand," the Doctor obliged, as the silence spiralled again, horribly. He glanced across to Harry, who was watching the eyes with a gleam of understanding sparkling within his own. He nodded, and Harry gave his wand a gentle shake, sending the ghostly rays of light a new spurt of energy. Not a lot … but just enough. Harry's jaw dropped, and the Doctor nodded in resigned understanding.

"You're … you're _human_!" Harry gasped, dumbfounded.

Standing before them was an incredibly ashen young man, his white skin pale as a ghosts' against the dim light emitting from Harry's wand. His pearcing blue eyes stood out a mile, wide and soulful, and his finely embroidered and impressive-looking clothes wouldn't have looked out of place at a Victorian Dress Party. Except they were damaged beyond repair, any charm and hints of high-class stripped clear of the tatty and faded cloth left over.

"But how can _you_ get down _here?_" Harry asked.

"There is no time to explain. As I told you before, He is waiting. In short, I'm a wizard."

At that, Harry suddenly understood.

"You were taken for Magic," he realised. The young man nodded.

"I was taken, but my life was spared in exchange for my family name. I won't be killed for my Magic, unlike the rest who were taken with me. Instead, I work for Him … but at the cost of my wife and children."

"What, they're _dead_?"

The young man shook his head, a faint smiling ghosting his lips. "No, they work for Him, too."

"Oh," and Harry fell silent, incredulous.

The Doctor stepped forwards, a determined glare within his endless orbs as he stared at the youth before him.

"What was your name?" he asked, quietly.

"Chris. Chris Alland."

"Well, Chris Alland. As soon as you finish your shift tonight, you need to go home … or wherever it is that you stay down here, and grab your wife, and your children, and _anything_ else you might have with you, and prepare to leave this place. For good."

Chris stared at him, eyes wide as saucers.

"Why?" he asked, surprised beyond tolerance. The Doctor grinned at him.

"Because I'm getting the lot of you outa here, that's why. This thing ends tonight."

Against the Doctor's thoughts that his new acquaintance would be happy about the idea of leaving 'Hell', the young man was as far from cheerful as it was possible to be.

He was terrified.

"You've _got_ to be kidding me," he muttered, wildly, staring at the Doctor as though he had two heads. "No-one breaks out of this place, no-one! I'm telling you, it's a life-sentence, followed by a death-sentence, followed by a never-ending-soul-sentence. Non-stop, no backing out. Die or suffer endless torment, there's no in between. Getting out of this place is _impossible_!"

"Well, then," the Doctor exclaimed, brightly, slapping his hands together and hitting Chris on the back, "it's your lucky day. 'Cause, guess what? I do impossible all the time!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading! And if anyone can review and offer me a pointing finger to direct me to where exactly all of the confusion's coming from, I'd be forever grateful, 'cause I just can't seem to find it. Anyway, thanks again, and because it's the holidays, I should get an update up by the end of the week … maybe …**


	22. Meeting the Managers

**Thanks to The Tenth Doctor's Companion, x – Sportagirl – x _(sorry I haven't been online for a while! Messenger's messing about ;) )_, MissBlackPotter, pinktardis and Tai Greywing!**

**LittleGinny15: **Hehehe, thanks, glad to hear you loved it! ;P And I'm glad to hear you liked him, too, I wondered what people would make of him. I just felt like creating another character, for some reason. Well, I say that, but I needed him really … Thanks for reviewing again!

**izzfrogger: **Thank you! Here's an update!

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Tell you my secret? I was dying to say 'Trade Secret' when I read that, (well, it was a toss up between that and 'Oh, I'm sorry, Author Confidentiality!' (think Nurse-Cat-Nuns, 'cause I was)) but I think I should really be honest and say I have absolutely no idea what my 'Secret' is. Seriously, if you ever figure it out, please let me know! ;P Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy this Chapter, too!

**Disclaimer: Not mine … Love all of 'em, but they're not mine … well, Chris Alland is … Oh, my God, did I just say that? Giddy dance I own a character! I own a character! … Ahem, yeah, apart from Chris and Teri, the rest are not mine … the plot is, though … sorta … Oh forget it, you know what I mean. Recognise, not mine, don't recognise, mine. Moving on before I fall into deep depression …**

**Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

**Meeting the Managers**

"Alright, alright!" the Master relented as the five aimed wands shifted ever so slightly in their owner's grasps. "I just wanted you out of the way! Something's happening, something big, and I just thought it'd be safer to keep you lot out of it. I know the Doctor would probably tell you otherwise, but I don't get pleasure out of harming children."

"We're not _children_!" Ron spat, disgruntled beyond recognition.

"Well _young adults_, then!" the Master retorted.

"What do you mean there's something big happening?" Rose interrupted before a full-scale argument could break out.

"Rose, please, I can't tell you. Just know this: No-one's safe anymore. And for once in my life, I was thinking of somebody other than myself. I was following one of the Doctor's orders, which is something he will _definitely_ tell you is unusual for me."

"Oh, and turning us into mutated wolflings with hunger problems is for the Greater Good, is it?" Ginny asked, incredulous.

"Trust me, it'd be better than what you're getting yourselves into. And besides, I needed a quick and easy solution, one that wouldn't involve me wasting unnecessary time trying to secure you all somewhere."

"Why what's the big rush?"

The Master fiddled somewhat nervously with a control on the console, and sighed in defeat. He pushed a button, and turned to the wall. Curious, the teens and Rose turned and followed his gaze to a newly-uncovered panel holding a flat-screen television.

"Just watch," he stated, bluntly, returning to the console as his TARDIS' occupants gathered around the screen. Ginny felt her breath catch in her throat as two gleaming red eyes burst into view amidst an endless black. They watched as the Master emerged from somewhere off screen, making straight for the two scarlet pinpricks. "Just so you don't go thinking I sprung from mid-air, this is a direct camera view from the front of my TARDIS. So in other words, I'd just left through those doors."

But his words were ignored as another voice broke through the on-screen silence.

"_So, my machine worked, then," _the owner of the eyes stated, matter-of-factly.

Five jaws dropped in horror as the high-pitched, chillingly familiar voice echoed out through inconspicuous speakers somewhere within the depths of the Master's TARDIS. Rose knew nothing of Voldemort, but seeing those eyes, hearing that voice, spotting the horrified stares of her five friends … putting two and two together, Rose knew exactly who the Master was talking to.

As the recording continued, the Master's somewhat chipped tones ringing through her ears, now, her heart plummeted into her stomach. And stayed there.

"_If I knew what you were talking about, I'd be able to ascertain that for you. If, by any chance, your machine was intending to bring me here, then regarding my presence standing on this very spot carefully, I would have to admit that it has indeed, as you say, 'worked'."_

"_Don't get clever with me, Alien, I didn't bring you here to smart-mouth me. I have a job for you."_

"_Oh? And what would that be?"_

Voldemort paused, a faint grin showing through the blackness surrounding him.

"_I have found an irritation within my plans, Alien. An irritation that I gather you know … or, at the very least, _knew_ … rather well. He calls himself _the Doctor_."_

"_Ahh, yes, I was wondering whether or not the bane of my existence would be the reason behind this."_

The Master standing feet from them inattentively copied his on-screen counterpart, tugging at the sleeve of his robe with a small sigh. He winced slightly as Voldemort's voice cut through the moment's silence like a knife through melted butter.

"_I will take that response as a good sign. What is your name?"_

"_Well … that'd be telling. So you don't know who you've just summoned, then? You don't know who I am?"_

"_That's why I'm asking."_

"_The Master."_

"_Indeed?" _Voldemort laughed, the sound echoing eerily around the Weasley's, Hermione and Rose, piercing the air._ "Well, well, well, pig-headedly ignorant, I see. You're hired."_

"_Thanks. Hired for what, exactly, and what do I get out of it?"_

"_You? Why, you get rid of the 'bane of your existence'. I get peace and quiet to get on with what I'm doing, and then we need never see, speak to, or hear from one another ever again. Fair deal?"_

"_That depends on what you're wanting me to do, although I've a rather funny feeling I already know what's coming."_

"_Glad to see we're on the same wave length, here. I shall leave it in your … _capable_ hands, _Master_."_

"_Oh, wonderful. How soon?"_

"_Immediately."_

"_Oh joy, even better. Well, best be getting on, then. Lots to do, places to go, people to kill. And just for the record, you might want to consider buying yourself some new contact lenses. Red is really not your colour."_

"_You are trying my patience."_

"_Oh, am I? Why, indeed I am, it seems. In which case I am so _terribly _sorry, '_Your Greatness_'. It just seems to me that you have absolutely no idea of just who you're actually up against, if you just expect me to get on with it. What do you know of the Doctor?"_

"_Very little. Simply that he is interfering in things that do not concern him - well, don't concern him _directly_, at any rate – and that he cannot be allowed to intervene."_

"_Oh, so you know _absolutely nothing_ about him, then. Go on … Go on, admit it, I can tell you're just _dying_ to."_

"_Alright, alright! If it'll get you off my back, the Doctor and I are not exactly _drinking buddies._ Although I'm beginning to wonder if you and he are …"_

_  
"Phtt, oh please, you've gotta be kidding. I've got _standards_, Red-Eyes, and he in _no way whatsoever _ fits the bill. He's too good, too smug, too full of himself in more ways than one, too _interfering_." _

"_Then you understand my problem, Master. Can you deal with the Doctor, or not?"_

"_Not directly, no. And I'm not stupid enough to attempt to take him on alone, either, if that's what you're thinking. I may despise him and his cracked-up, never-ending 'beauty, love and good can conquer all' theories, but I cannot deny that he has power. Raw, unspoiled, 'Pure as distilled water' Power. Power and skill, and a brain to boot."_

"_Jesus Christ, it is an incredibly simple question! Can you deal with the Doctor, or not! A quick 'Yes' or 'No' answer would suffice!"_

"_Me? Heavens, no. But I suspect that you can. I can get him to you, but I can't take him on alone. We're too evenly matched, you see."_

"_Fine, then I will have to settle for half a job. Get him to me, and I'll deal with him myself."_

"_Consider it done. And will you get me back to my time and relative dimension as soon as I'm finished here? Only I've a lot to do."_

"_I shall see to your return home personally."_

"_Good, glad we could agree on something."_

With a crackle, the picture cut out, leaving five wizards and a time-traveller staring at a blank screen in shock and horror. Painfully slowly, Rose turned on the spot, her eyes wide. Seeking out the Master, she found him half-concealed behind the moving column.

Silence.

After a moment, the Master cleared his throat.

"That, er … that 'meeting' took place about two days ago, the minute I arrived in this reality. I'd like to know that you've seen enough of him to understand why I'm working _against_ him … but something tells me that showing you _that _particular clip has done nothing except to finalise your thoughts about me. I presume you think even less of me and my opinions now than you did before. Perfectly understandable, but it still smarts."

No-one appeared to be listening. No-one appeared to even be breathing. The Master glanced up, taking in the six pale faces, and he shrugged.

"Well, say something, then!" he said, slightly desperately. "Do you believe me, or not!"

For what seemed an eternity, nobody spoke, until finally, Rose opened her mouth. When words failed to leave her lips, she closed it, swallowed and tried again. But it wasn't an answer to his question, least of all an answer he wanted to hear. Rose stared at him in shock, disbelief and revulsion, as the five teenage wizards began to back away.

"So _that's_ why you wanted to find him," she whispered, horrified.

* * *

Pain. 

Burning, searing, screaming pain.

Endless, timeless, surrounding.

Retreating away into herself, Teri shivered uncontrollably, as seventeen year's worth of memories were plucked slowly and steadily from her mind.

But he would come. That was all that mattered. She was keeping him safe, so he would come. He would save her, just like he saved everyone. Teri bit back a blood-curdling scream, knowing it would be a pointless distraction.

Instead, she forced a wonky grin.

The Doctor would come.

* * *

"Neville, Luna, there you are! Thank God, we were beginning to worry!" 

"Sorry, Tonks, we got a little held up. We've found Jack, though," Neville added, brightly, the faint blush of his cheeks fading away into non-existence as his wand was held securely between his fingers.

A woman with vibrantly pink, spiked hair glanced hurriedly over her shoulder and squinted at Jack, who emerged a moment later through the open doorway. She grinned manically and waved at him as he approached. Jack stopped beside Luna, who absently reached up a hand and retrieved her wand from behind her ear, once more. He took in the young woman's somewhat eccentric appearance, and grinned, too, waving enthusiastically back.

"Wotcha, Jack! Y'alright?"

Jack's grin widened.

"Not so bad, thanks. You?"

"Oh, you know, same old, same old. We kind of expected to find you here, so I'd say you were in safe hands. But then again_, I'm_ here … so I won't bother. Jack, meet Remus Lupin, head of our little rescue party, here."

"How d'you do?" Jack said, politely, shaking Lupin's hand. "So that makes you Tonks, then, does it?"

The young woman nodded.

"So how'd you get here, then? And you wouldn't happen to know where we could find Harry, the Doctor, Rose Tyler and a group of seventeen year-old wizards, would you?"

Jack shook his head, his grin slipping.

"Well, I … _fell_ here … dunno how, and I can't really be arsed thinking about it at the moment, so we'll leave it at that, for now. And no, sorry. I need to find the Doctor, though. I've got someone he really _does _need to meet."

"Oh, yes of course, Teri," Lupin sighed. Jack nodded, distracted.

"Yeah, that's her. Sorry, but, Neville and Luna said you were fighting … er, Death Eaters, was it? … but there doesn't seem to be much fighting going on."

Tonks grinned wickedly.

"Missed the action, mate. Sorry. We heard you were rather trigger happy, but we just couldn't resist."

Jack frowned.

"Sorry, but, where are you getting all of this info from? I don't know anything about you lot. I don't know how or why I'm here, except that I am, but I _do_ know I've never met any of you before in my life. Well, unless I was _incredibly_ drunk at the time, which is probably quite a strong possibility."

"Oh, of course. That's right, you wouldn't know, would you?" Lupin said, delicately. "We're part of a rather large defence and resistance group called the Order of The Phoenix. It's our job to know what the enemy is getting up to. And, er, 'two kidnapped _Muggles_' is pretty big news."

"Muggles?"

"Non-magic folk. I don't know about your, er," Lupin blushed, struggling to find the right word. When his mental dictionary failed him abysmally, he continued regardless, shrugging, "your 'Alien' friend, but I do know that _you_ couldn't do magic if we paid you to do it."

"You're tellin' me. Can't even look after myself these days, so I really can't see what use I am to Mr All High And Mighty."

"Oh, so you've met our Lord and Master, then, have you?" Tonks asked, conversationally.

"Not in person … well, not with formal introduction, no. Met him by face, though. Slimy bastard."

Tonks' grin was now stretching the entire width her face, and even Lupin was restraining a broad smile of his own as he considered Jack through curious eyes.

"Wow, you'd be one Hell of an asset at our Order meetings, Jack."

"Oh, really? How so?" Jack enquired airily, stroking his chin in mock concentration.

"Well, let's put it this way," Tonks elaborated, laughing, "we wouldn't miss vital information through sleeping, if you were around."

"Why, if I was the sort I would probably accept that as a first attempt chat-up line, Tonks."

"Nope, sorry, mate, you're outa luck in that department, too. This one's already taken," she told him, restraining an urge to burst out laughing. As though to emphasise her point, she looped arms with Lupin, who wore a curiously triumphant look as he turned and beamed at her.

"Ahh well, not a total surprise, though I won't deny I'm not hurt by that," Jack feigned heartbreak. Tonks couldn't control her laughter at that.

But the joviality was quickly killed as a throat cleared somewhere behind them. Jack glanced up, taking in the room they'd arrived in at long last. A room containing a floor of immobile bodies, each ensnared by a black cloak, and the rest full of witches and wizards who were either helping those who had been injured already or trying to help themselves.

But at the sound, every moving face turned to the still-open doorway through which Jack, Neville and Luna had just arrived.

And every ounce of blood present ran cold, as the being leaning casually against the door-frame finally spoke, a well-used-looking wand whacking lightly against his outstretched palm.

"Sorry, is this a bad time?"

* * *

After what felt like hours of non-stop walking, Chris finally stumbled to a halt before what the Doctor could only assume was a brick wall. 

"Here we are," Chris murmured, distractedly, as he held out his hands, palm up, and placed them at strategic points along the wall. Glancing apologetically over his shoulder at Harry and the Doctor, he added, "You might wanna watch your eyes; it'll be bright after the darkness in here."

Both nodded and squinted their eyes, waiting with bated breath for the doorway through which they were undoubtedly expected to pass through to reveal itself amidst the mass of black.

And a moment later, intense orange and yellow lights burnt through their narrowed eye-lids, resulting in them closing their eyes completely against the glare.

"Sorry, did warn you." Chris' voice floated through their ears, but not without hiding the young Victorian's glimmer of amusement. "Anyway, is it alright if I come along with you? Only … after what you said, about getting me and my family outa here … well, I'd like to see if you'd be able to keep your word. I wanna see how you handle my Master, if that makes sense."

"Perfect," the Doctor sighed, rubbing at his temples as his eyes struggled to cope with the glare by opening inch by inch.

"You alright, Doctor?" Harry asked, his own vibrantly green eyes having adjusted already.

"Dunno, that head-ache from earlier won't leave me long enough for me to decide. And the – literal, for once, – pain in my neck's not gettin' any better, either."

"Need a break before we go in?"

"Nah, let's just get this over and done with. We need to find Rose and the others, don't we? I don't trust them alone with the Master for one minute. I know damn well he's up to something, but I just can't for the life of me figure out what it is."

"Well, if you're sure. Just so long as you're not gonna pass out on me in there and leave me trying to talk to what could soon turn out to be my Death Sentence by myself. After all, you said you were fine once before, and where'd it get you? A bed in the Hospital Wing and a date with Madam Pomfrey."

The Doctor snorted, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Harry. I'm fine. Really," he added, grinning, in response to Harry's raised eyebrows. Harry shook his head and then nodded once, restraining a smile of his own.

"'Kay then, Chris. Let's get on with it," he said, steeling himself and strengthening the grip on his wand.

Chris nodded, and entered through the now open door, which turned out to be less of a genuine door and more a large hole inside an even larger wall. Following, admittedly a little reluctantly, Harry and the Doctor stared in shock as they meandered through corridor after corridor of what could only be described as an underground bazaar.

Stalls and benches, platforms and podiums selling potions, jars and bottles of magic, bags of dust, potions ingredients, coins, charms and jewellery, wands, books, astrological models of the solar system and –

"Yeah, that's how my Master 'bought' me. By Auction," Chris announced, with a stab at indifference that wasn't quite enough to hide the bitter sting behind his words. "Not a pleasant experience," he added, staring morosely at the eleven or so slaves standing atop one of the larger podiums in the centre of the wider-than-expected walkway. A large man with a curly moustache and a long, scarlet waistcoat was standing beside the huddle of stark-white and terrified figures, shouting out names, deals, bargains and prices at the passing 'shopper's.

Harry frowned at Chris.

"I thought you said your life was spared because you gave … er, _Him_ your family name! What were you doing up for Auction if He'd already bought you?"

"Oh, He finds it amusing to watch us up there, praying that the end of the day will dawn before a bargain for our 'soul' is made," Chris sighed, sadly. "Worst of all was the fact that He waited until sunset before making an offer, even though me and my family already knew He was coming for us. All those slaves up on that podium have been spared, either because they made a deal with Him, or because they've not got sufficient magic to feed upon. And not one of 'em is gonna feel day-light again."

"That's disgusting," Harry whispered, horrified. "And, so you lot … you just go along with it? I mean, you just do whatever you're told, no matter what?"

"What else _can_ we do?" Chris countered, his eyebrows raised. "Once you're down here, you're officially 'dead', whether or not you actually die for your magic. I'll die down here sooner or later, but that doesn't mean it'll be over for me. It's never going to end. My soul's bound to this life, now."

"So wouldn't it have been better to just let Him take your life the first time around?" the Doctor asked, quietly, staring at Chris through gleaming, understanding and sympathetic eyes. Harry turned and glared at him.

"_Doctor_!" he hissed, outraged.

"No, Harry, the Doctor's right," Chris murmured, sadly. "If I'd have known at the time that I'd be 'living' like this, I would never have agreed to it in the first place. That's just something He fails to mention when He springs His deals. I was under the impression that we'd work maybe a sentence under Him and then be set free to continue with our lives. And it wasn't until I saw the Contract for my family with the Burning Seal float away into His Safe that I realised what a mistake I'd just made."

"Burning Seal?" Harry asked, curious.

"His official mark, no doubt," the Doctor replied, forlornly. "The parchment on which Chris' Family's Contract is written – and I presume it will be written in blood, too – will burn eternally. Just as the Contract will never run out, the manuscript will never cease to blaze."

Chris nodded, glumly, as they wandered unseeingly through the streets. Mortified, Harry tried his damndest to drown out the bellowing voices of the Auctioneers, the terrified and desolate cries of the Slaves, and the gleeful responses of the bargaining buyers.

But they simply refused bypass his ears.

Harry glanced up at another podium as they past, and was even more sickened to see three young children standing in line, hands and ankles chained and tears glinting against their ashen cheeks. One tiny little spark of joy lit up his heart as he watched a young woman, standing beside the youngest-looking child, reach down and grasp the little boy's hand, despite the awkwardness of the task due to both their bound hands. But that spark was quenched a moment later when the line's Auctioneer shouted out, "Sold to the Demon at the front for Twenty-Two Potions!". The woman was dragged from her position in line and thrown down into the Demon's awaiting arms, only to be hauled away through the streets behind him without a word. The little boy stared despairingly after her, but said nothing, as the Auctioneer began the Callings all over again.

Shaking his head to remove the irremovable images, Harry jumped slightly as he felt a hand grasp his shoulder. He looked up to see the Doctor studying him with a sorrowful expression on his worn-looking face, his eyes hollowed by pain and horror but full of a wisdom and understanding the likes of which Harry could never hope to compare.

"We _will_ do something about this," he said, quietly, his voice so full of assurance and sincerity that Harry couldn't help but believe him. "Even if that means helping them to move on at last."

Harry nodded in silence, trying to focus solely on his steps through the streets, but occasionally staring at the draped tables holding the less disturbing magical items for sale. Items he could vaguely understand and justify the transition of. These creatures did, after all, live off magic. It was like Harry eating Meat – horrific to think about killing animals for it, but necessary for survival, considering his reluctance to turn Vegan. That'd only strive to be yet another habit to be famous for. Thinking miserably about his already larger than wanted fame, he'd probably start a trend.

But potions, tiny draw-string, velvet pouches of magic, spell books and wands, were one thing. To sell off real, genuine, honest-to-God _living_ _people_ …

"We've arrived," Chris said at last, crashing Harry's proverbially troubled train of thought before it reached the station. Harry and the Doctor stopped behind him, as Chris pointed unenthusiastically at a stone archway lit by burning torches in rusted brackets. They shared a look, then nodded at Chris, who positioned himself directly in front of them.

"I'm sorry about this," he sighed. "But you did sorta walk into this one yourselves when you first walked through that dome. I can only assume you've been looking for my Master, as it's so rare to hear of real _people_ actually wandering into the No-Place of their own accord."

"Er, yeah, you could say that. Half forced in by someone's idea of a sick joke, but we do _actually_ want to meet and greet your Lord and Master," the Doctor replied, sighing. "We have much to discuss, apparently, even more so, now that I hear He's expecting to make a Deal with me."

"Well, like I said before, if I can remain unseen by my Master, I'm hanging around in there. I'll make it look like I'm tidying up, or something. I mean I wouldn't usually _dare_, but there's just something about you two that I can't quite put my finger on. And if you really _can_ help me and my family … well, I just wanted to hear it with my own ears. Then I'll believe it."

The Doctor nodded, a small grimace of pain attacking his already exhausted features. Harry sighed in exasperation, but it didn't pass the Doctor's attention.

"Head-ache, Harry! Not fractured ribs!" He paused, frowning, then added, "Although I dunno … that fall through the floor _did_ actually hurt. A lot …" He grinned suddenly at Harry, who snorted in impatience and replaced his wand inside his jeans pocket, knowing full well that entering 'His' lair armed was a very foolish move. He didn't relinquish his grip on the smooth and more-than-welcome wooden handle, though.

The Doctor shook his head, feigning hurt. "Don't believe me, do ya?" he asked in mock-disbelief. "How could anyone not believe _this_ face?"

"I don't suppose the ladies would have a problem with that," Harry muttered back, smiling. "You're not half bad, to say you're a freak."

"Thanks, Harry, I knew you cared."

"Yeah, anytime."

"And I hope you realise that that tour of the twelve-and-a-half-galaxies I'd originally planned on taking you on has just been blown right out of the window."

Harry laughed, but it soon died in his throat as he stared at the Doctor's face. "You're … you're kidding, right?"

"Nope, never been more serious," he smirked, faintly pleased with himself. Harry suddenly beamed innocently up at him.

"Did I ever tell you how much I love you?" he asked, blinking profusely.

"Whoa, Harry, steady on, do you _have_ to say things like that in public? I'd rather we were somewhere a little less imposing if we're gonna discuss _that_. Maybe a nice little restaurant in the middle of nowhere … "

Harry shook his head in disbelief, grinning.

"There's just no putting you off, is there? I could say anything and it'd probably go right over your head if you didn't want to hear it!"

"Yep, too right. It's a skill that's taken centuries of study and patience to master. Well, that and the God-knows-how-many Midnight Arguments with one Miss Tegan Jovanka. I'll have to teach it to you sometime. Might come in handy, especially with Hermione as a best friend. Bet there's one or two library sessions you'd rather be able to drown out if you could," he added, his smirk widening.

"You're telling me," Harry grinned back.

"Er, I don't wish to be rude, but we really should hurry this along. He can grow rather impatient, these days," Chris inserted, timidly. Harry and the Doctor nodded, small smiles still etched into their faces as they turned to the archway standing almost majestically in front of them.

"Right then, let's get this over with," the Doctor sighed, resigned. "The sooner we get out of this place, the better."

* * *

**There we go, a bit shorter than usual, but the next Chapter should hopefully make up for that. Action galore from here on in. Well, that's what I'm hoping for, at any rate. **

**Anyway, thanks to all of my wonderful readers and reviewers! And if you feel like thanking me back, please do leave a review. Nothing says thanks like the opinions of interested readers! ;D **

**Hope it didn't disappoint! Update soon!**


	23. Dealing With Death

**Thanks to The Tenth Doctor's Companion, Leila-Rose-Bell, pinktardis, Tai Greywing, Izzfrogger, Krokneze, Rusty4Coke, Shrink To Be and padfoots-wife!**

**Rose: **Whoa, don't go giving yourself brain damage on my account! I swear I've harmed mine enough in the past to represent half the world! It's nice that you're after an update, though, thanks! And here it is! So there's no need to fret anymore, now, right? Thanks for reviewing!

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Thank you, thank you, _thank you_! Wow, lovely review! And I'm hoping to up the game a bit, yes. Whether or not it'll seem any different is a different matter, though. Anywho, here it is, and thanks for reviewing again! They really do mean so much!

**LittleGinny15: **Review number 1: Thank you! Yeah, it was kinda sad about those poor li'l people getting sold, but I needed to get a little emotion flowing, give Harry and the Doctor a really big motive for helping out, y'know. I'm wonderful, thanks for asking! How 'bout you? Nope, haven't seen CitC yet, but I've heard of it. Is it on TV these days or just on DVD? Thanks for reviewing again! Love ya lots, hon! You've been a star!

Review number 2: I am _so_ sorry! You probably hate me, now, but it totally wasn't planned! I seriously can't believe how long it's taken, and I hate myself for that, but see my reasons below, and maybe … just _maybe_ you might be able to find it in your heart to forgive me … _puppy dog eyes_ … as for the number of chapters? No idea! Not a clue! Sorry!

**Disclaimer: Nope, nada … unless you don't recognise it, that is …**

**Ahem, sorry, I was on holiday … but Writer's Block mighta kinda encouraged the delay, too … _slaps wrists_ … yup, that was one baaad dose of Writer's Block, right there … _finds she's tried to be calm for too long, and then the true feelings burst their boundaries, at last …_Oh, my God! I am soooooooo sorry!!!!! … _Howls like a wounded wolf _… you must all _hate_ me, now! I can't express how truly sorry I am for such a wait! But with me starting Year 11 and being over-run by GCSE coursework (Oh, and finally finding a boyfriend! Yes, you _did _hear correctly, and we've been together 1 month on Thursday, dudes!), I just haven't had the time! I am really, truly, unforgivably sorry, though! Sorry! A thousand sorries to all of you, complete with complimentary sporks and an entire factory full of cyber-cookies, each and every one of you! Forgive me? Probably not … But I really _am_ sorry! _Sobs_ …**

* * *

**Dealing With Death  
**

"_So _that's_ why you wanted to find him," she whispered, horrified._

Rose felt the sting of tears attack the corners of her eyes, but she refused to blink. The Weasley's and Hermione found their attempts at escape to be blocked by the wall at their backs. Glaring at the Master in pure horror, they glanced momentarily at Rose, who, instead of retreating, was stepping closer to the column.

The Master sighed.

"Yes, I needed the Doctor because our friend needed him. But why won't you understand that I was never _actually_ going to send him there? I want to work _with_ the Doctor, not against him!"

"Does the Doctor know that?" Rose whispered, shocked beyond reason. The Master paused, then shook his head.

"Not really, he still suspects I'm involved somehow, but it's probably for nothing good. If I'd have told him I wanted to work with him, he'd never have agreed. He'd just reckon I was up to something. So that's why I infected you; I needed to give him a reason to help me. And what better reason than a cure for his best friend? He knew that the only way I'd get the cure for your condition to him was if he cooperated, and surprise, surprise; it worked. Well, _almost_."

"How'd it '_work_'?" Rose shouted, infuriated. "He's not even here, for God's sake! We've been separated for God knows how long, and we've no idea where the Hell he is, now! If your plan all along was to get him to Voldemort, why did you let him split us up?"

"I _tried_ to talk him out of it, in case you'd forgotten!" he shouted back, furiously. "But you know as well as I, Miss Tyler, how stubborn the Doctor can be!"

"You told him that if we couldn't find him when we scanned for him that you were gonna leave without him. Would you really have left?" Ginny asked, quietly, her voice cutting through the tension slightly. The Master blinked and turned to her. Slowly, he shook his head.

"No, I couldn't have. Your 'Voldemort' friend would have killed me. I had to at least make it _look_ like I was trying to get him to Voldemort, even if I wasn't actually going to. I was hoping that if the Doctor accompanied me to my TARDIS, we could have discussed terms properly on our way to Voldemort. It was my hope that if the Doctor agreed to help, which he would have had no choice but to accept if he was trapped in my TARDIS anyway, we could have fought Voldemort upon arrival ourselves. You know, play along until we got there."

Rose was considering him with a look a little less hostile than before. The Master smiled hopefully and stared directly at her.

"Believe me?" he asked, quietly. Rose shrugged.

"I don't know if I can," she murmured, sadly. "Your words make a scary kind of sense, but then again, from what I gather, you and the Doctor go way back and it isn't for anything pretty. I know you've tried to kill him on countless occasions, and that just doesn't bode well for believing that you want to _help_ him. What would you do? Leave in separate directions and then just forget all about it till the next time you have it out?"

The Master grinned.

"It's worked for the past nine centuries," he smirked. "As you so rightly said, I _have_ tried to dispose of the Doctor, and probably more times than you've washed your hair, but has it crossed your mind how many of those times we've worked together to stop a greater evil? Every time we work together, once the threat's out of the way, we're enemies once again. That's just how we are."

Rose stared at him, sceptically.

"And he's okay with that?" she asked, eyebrows raised. He nodded. She sighed, unsure of what to say next. "Right, so … so do we have your word that you _definitely_ want to work with the Doctor? That you're not gonna turn him in straight away? Because if not, we can kill you where we stand!" she threatened. The Master nodded.

"I was brought here against my will, Miss Tyler. I've been given a task, and Voldemort expects me to complete it. But I don't trust him to keep his side of the bargain, and I will not have him killing me when I arrive with the Doctor. I could tell during that discussion that the guy is completely insane. I'm not going to let him screw this world up if I can help it. And the only way I could think of stopping him was an alliance with the Doctor. Believe me, as soon as we find him, he's going to know the truth. I've gained enough trust from him to look after you, haven't I?"

Rose nodded, numbly. The Weasley's and Hermione were staring at her with wide eyes.

"One wrong move and you're dead," Ron whispered, dangerously, when Rose nodded at them to relax a little. "You got that?"

The Master nodded.

The discussion was halted a second later, when a heart-stopping crash burst through the uncomfortable silence. The TARDIS trembled alarmingly, throwing its occupants clear across the room.

"What the Hell was that?" Ginny demanded, attempting with great difficulty to extract herself from the tangle of legs that were her twin older brothers. But the Master's response was drowned out by a loud, incessant growl from the rising column. Every pair of eyes turned in time to see its movement grind to a screeching halt.

"I think … I think we've found him," the Master murmured, bewildered.

No-one dared move. After what felt like an eternity, Rose threw herself at the Console and vigorously twisted the large dial winking invitingly up at her, revealing the window-like screen in the wall. The barrier dropping painstakingly slowly, they stared in shock as what appeared to be an underground market slid into view.

"Oh, I swear, if he's decided to take himself off for a shopping spree while I've been worried outa my brains I'm gonna _kill_ him," Rose murmured, eyes wide.

"Erm, that doesn't look to be the kind of shopping spree he'd go for, Rose," Ginny whispered, a shaking finger pointing at a large podium at the corner of the screen. Rose followed Ginny's gaze and was sickened to see the people standing in line, chains binding hands and ankles while their deathly pale faces shone like beacons through the red, fiery light.

"That's disgusting," Hermione cried, her eyes wide with horror and her hand desperately seeking out Ron's. He found it and squeezed it gently, staring mortified at the screen himself. The twins swapped dark looks, then made directly for the door.

"Hey, wait, where d'you think you're going?" the Master called, quickly. The glared back in response, eyes narrowed slits.

"To find Harry and the Doctor. Beats sitting in here listening to you lot arguing all the time," Fred replied, shrugging and turning away.

"We're not separating! I have absolutely no idea where we are, but wherever it is doesn't look one hundred per cent safe. I'd rather we waited here until we can pin-point the Doctor's exact location."

"Where's the fun in that?" George moaned, irritated. "We can damn well find them ourselves!"

"And how do you expect to find them in _that_ lot?" he asked, pointing at the intense scrabble of people meandering clumsily through the stalls.

"Well, the Doctor stands out, don't he?" Fred replied, grinning. "We'll find him."

Rose grinned herself at that, but it quickly fell away as she heard a triumphantly pompous voice float through from outside as the twins disappeared from view. "Sold for thirty-four potions to the Demon at the back! All yours, sir!" A moment later, one of the men in line was thrown unceremoniously into the crowd below the podium, chains clanking.

"That's just sick," Ginny whispered, hand to her mouth. "We've gotta go help them!"

"No, we don't," the Master snapped, firmly. "We _have_ to find the Doctor. He's the one we're here for, and the sooner we find him, the sooner we can leave. Now come on, your brothers have already gone, despite the fact that I warned them not to."

"It's about time you learned that those two never do as they're told. They wouldn't be Fred and George if they did," Ron replied, smirking. "What's the matter? Too much to handle?" he asked, innocently. The Master glared at him, but said nothing.

Hearts racing, Hermione, Ron and Ginny followed a shaking Rose to the now open doorway, tracing the twins' footsteps and finding Fred and George waiting for them outside the door. The Master nodded with satisfaction as he closed the door with a snap, staring at his booth-shaped TARDIS as he locked it briskly. The 'closed' sign dangling over the empty table top left a grin breaking his features as they turned and walked away.

* * *

Her thoughts were black, now. Nothing but flashes of her seventeen years of life were visible to her. Memories were being wiped clean, but she hardly noticed anything beyond the pain. 

--

_She was nine. Standing in the middle of an arena with a spear in one hand and a look of pure hatred on her face. Two years had past since she'd found herself alone, her only companion a Type70 TARDIS that she'd decided to call Peanut. Now she had to battle for Peanut's release. No, she sure as Hell wasn't going to lose her best friend to a few Native Indian Trigons. She _had_ to win this. Nine, she may have been, but when something stood between her and Peanut, there wasn't _anything_ that could stop her from getting to the one thing her Mother had left for her. _Nothing

_--_

_Mark Gates, her loving father figure during her two months of rest on Earth was reading to her, his voice alight with mischief and excitement as he told her yet again the story of Cinderella. Closing the book with a snap and a wide grin breaking across his face, he reached across and ran a hand delicately through her hair. _

"_You'll find your Prince Charming one day, Teri. Promise! Be it this Galaxy or the next."_

_--_

_Her eyes watched the explosion, but her head wasn't working, properly. Her Mummy was on that planet … her big brother and her baby brother, too. And if the planet wasn't there, anymore, then her Mummy and her brothers weren't there, anymore. _

That_ couldn't be true! It just … It just _couldn't

_But it was. Gallifrey was nothing but smouldering rocks and dust, now. Ash and debris from a once glorious planet. A once glorious civilisation. _

_Now, it was gone._

_No more Dalek ships, either. At least they were gone, now, too._

_Her legs gave way, crumpling beneath her. Teri hit the floor hard, her mind completely drained. Curling up into a ball, she cried for her family. She cried for the World she'd called home for seven years. She cried for herself. Blinking through the tears, she spotted the Doctor, his face dirty and strained, his longish locks unruly and matted, his eyes wide with shock and horror, staring numbly at the screen. _

_He looked empty. _

_Hollow._

_Taking a shuddering breath, she allowed the blackness to consume her._

_--_

_Her eyes fluttered open, her ears picking up a dull thrumming sound. A comforting sound, she decided. Blinking away the hazy fog, she found herself lying in a bed, the usually bright, white lights that were above her head dulled to a more accepting glare. Almost as though her Mother's TARDIS _knew_ that she needed it._

'Mummy's _TARDIS …_'

_Tears falling from her eyes, she threw back the quilt and raced out the door, heading straight for the Console Room that she knew so well._

'It isn't Mummy's TARDIS anymore,'_ she told herself as she arrived. The room seemed to buzz with excitement as she banged open the door and bolted down the stairs, her hands encircling the Console as though it were her lifeline._

_A lone peanut rolled from the half-open packet that was still resting precariously on the edge. It hit the floor, and was stopped in its rolling journey as it came into contact with her foot. Teri blinked and looked at it._

'Binky's favourite snack,'_ she remembered. Her Mother loved peanuts. For some reason, whenever anyone saw a peanut, be it her or her brothers, they would always say' Binky's favourite snack'. It had become a tradition, now. Teri was sure her Mother had started it, though. She could vaguely remember sitting on a younger Biancalundra's knee, watching as she picked up a peanut from the dish beside their chair and waved it at her. 'Binky's favourite snack, Teri,' she had said, before popping the peanut into her mouth._

_Biancalundra …_

_Her Mother …_

'Mummy's gone … Gallifrey's gone …' _she thought, finally, tears glistening in her eyes. But, knowing her mother would have wanted her to be strong, she bit her tongue and held them back._

"_Hey, peanut," she murmured, stooping down to pick up the nut with a shaky hand. She stared at it, then turned to the Console. It seemed to be waiting for her to put two and two together. She half-smiled._

"_Hey, Peanut," she repeated, stroking the TARDIS gently. The lights flickered in approval and she nodded, forgetting to restrain the tears. There was no point, now. There was nobody else to see, nobody to tell her she was just a weak and pathetic little girl; like her brothers used to teasingly tell her whenever she fell over and grazed her knee, nobody to tell her to dry her eyes and smile, because smiling made life look so much brighter; just like her Mummy used to tell her. And Peanut wouldn't mind if she cried. Falling onto the floor and hugging her knees, Peanut humming soothingly in the background, Teri wept._

_--_

Teri's eyes flew wide.

She remembered.

The last time she'd seen the Doctor. His Eighth Incarnation.

The War.

Gallifrey's destruction.

The death of her brothers.

Her Mother's death.

The reason she was alone.

Teri understood. She had wanted answers, _needed_ to know why she had spent the last ten years alone.

And she'd known why all along.

_All along_, the answers she'd so desperately needed had been inside her own head.

Tears cascading down her cheeks, she shook her head violently, no longer aware of the pain enforced upon her by the machine that was slowly pulling out her Memories. As pain, understanding and anguish flared within her soul, she screamed out, ten years of loneliness urging her cries on, as she cried for her family.

"_NO!_"

* * *

"_Sorry, is this a bad time?"_

Silence.

Voldemort grinned manically, still beating his wand against his palm as though bored.

"Well, I must offer my sincerest apologies for not being here to welcome you to my quarters," he continued. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. Nobody appeared to even be breathing, anymore.

Smirking, he stepped over the threshold, wand now twirling between his freakishly long fingers as his eyes were drawn to Jack.

"Ahh, I was wondering if you'd be up here, Jack. Who broke you out, then?"

Jack scowled, hatred radiating from him in waves as his eyes locked with the piercing red of their newest arrival. He dropped his hands into his pockets, secretly enclosing one around the handle of his gun, as he turned completely and stood, glaring at Voldemort.

"Why? You offering out medals?" he asked, outraged. Voldemort grinned.

"No, but I did fancy congratulating them. It's quite a feat, to break out a prisoner from my downstairs dungeons. Even more so when I'm still in the building."

"Pretty full of yourself, aren't you?" Jack spat, eyebrows raised. He took a step forward, his confidence flaring as four wands straightened out around him. A quick glance showed Lupin, Tonks, Neville and Luna to be flanking him. His eyes flicking around the room told him a moment later that many of their comrades were pulling themselves together and raising their own wands, too.

"Why lie about what's true?" Voldemort countered, airily, seemingly unconcerned by the entourage of wooden sticks that were now trained upon him and the two guards stood behind him.

Jack shrugged.

"We'll see how true you are."

"Indeed."

Silence rekindled around them, every witch and wizard present glaring at the three newcomers, who were considering the group of five stood in the middle of the hall. Neville was white, but his glare was strong. Luna looked irate, her eyes narrowed slits as she stared at Voldemort with an unexpected seriousness. Lupin and Tonks looked livid. Jack was defiant.

Thrown unexpectedly sideways into the wall, Jack groaned and struggled to his feet. Roaring with fury, he launched forwards, momentarily forgetting who he was up against as he withdrew the gun from a pocket and aimed it quickly.

"No, Jack, _wait_!" Lupin shouted. Jack faltered, turning. "That's not going to work!"

Voldemort was staring at him in amusement, eyes glinting with malice, as Jack aimed the gun upwards and pulled the trigger. No bullet was sent soaring.

"Shit," he murmured, flinging it down, feeling suddenly vulnerable.

"What's your next bright idea, Harkness?" Voldemort asked, airily, his eyes betraying his fury as they glittered maliciously. Jack, momentarily thrown out of the zone as the knowledge that his weapons were not going to be any help to him this time sunk in, remained tactfully silent.

Voldemort sighed, and stepped forward, shaking his head as though he were scolding a particularly stubborn, defiantly misbehaving school kid.

"Shame, Jack," he murmured, smirking. "I brought you here thinking you might have been of use. Turns out you're more of a hindrance."

Silence.

"W-wait … _You_ brought me here?" Jack barely whispered, eyes as wide as saucers.

"Did I stutter?"

Jack was in shock.

"That vortex thing was all _your_ doing?"

"Well, duh."

His mind reeling, Jack knew not what to make of what was going on around him. Nobody was moving a muscle. The Ultimate Evil was standing feet from them, and yet not one person found it necessary to move.

All were staring at Jack.

"Why?" he asked, quietly, as the silence began to spiral horribly around him. Voldemort shrugged.

"I need to find the Doctor before he screws up my plans even more. My first plan isn't working as well as I'd hoped. The person I first summoned is taking his sweet time in retrieving the Doctor, and I grew impatient of waiting. According to Teri, you're an … _acquaintance_ of his. I suppose I was hoping you'd be a bit … less … _human_, if you were a friend of the Doctor's. Shows how wrong I was, doesn't it?"

"Hang on, _Teri_ told you? How did _she_ know?"

"Well, she didn't physically _tell_ me, but I … well, let's just say I forced it out of her, eventually. A memory of meeting you on Satellite Five, actually. Nothing major, but it seemed to appear between two other memories of the Doctor, so I just assumed you two were known to one another. I don't even think _Teri _knew you were the Doctor's companion, herself to begin with, but it was in her head, nevertheless. All a waste of time, apparently. I guess the saying's true, after all; if you want something doing, you've got to go and do it yourself."

The spell was mutely launched before anyone had time to so much as blink, and three beams of white light shot out of Voldemort's wand, gliding away from one another to hit three wizards behind the five closest to him. Three simultaneous screams of pain echoed around the room, before, with a flash of intense green light, three explosions rocked the very frameworks of Voldemort's hide-out. As the light dimmed, Jack turned painfully slowly, his eyes slowly becoming accustomed to the back-to-normal lighting, and his heart plummeted. Three smouldering piles of ash rested on the spot where three fighting-fit wizards had once stood.

"Now, as I was saying. Shame, Jack. Real shame. If only you'd been a little more helpful. Teri's doing a fantastic job, you should have been more like her. But, it seems that was _one_ memory I needn't have bothered with. You clearly don't have a clue where the Doctor is. Which means there isn't really anything else you can do for me. Best end it now, I guess. Time's a rolling on, Jack. I've got business to take care of."

Jack could do nothing. He merely watched, his heart thumping, his mind racing, a strange sense of doom settling within his veins, as Voldemort took an edgy step forwards, wand poised and aimed directly at Jack's heart.

'_So this is how it ends. Sorry, Teri. Maybe the Doctor's not coming, after all. Can't say we didn't try, though._'

* * *

"My Lord? They've arrived." 

Harry and the Doctor shared a glance, before turning to face Chris, who was standing beneath a wrought iron archway, staring into the black oblivion beyond. Whoever was beyond their depleted vision must have received the news, because, with a small bow, Chris backed away from the archway and made his way purposefully quickly towards the Doctor. Harry raised an eyebrow, and he nodded mutely, as if to say, 'he's on his way'.

They didn't have to wait long. A sudden, loud clap of thunder had the three non-dead jumping a mile.

"I have been waiting for you, Doctor."

The Doctor rolled his eyes at the melodramatic entrance, and turned on the spot, staring at the newcomer with a neutral expression drawing across his face. Seeing a strange hint of respect blazing within the two gleaming scarlet eyes before him, he was grateful that it was to be optional to bow to this … Demon. Instead, he nodded curtly, his own limited respect keeping his head on level-footing.

"I'd heard," he replied, coldly, unable to restrain the bite as much as he'd hoped to. But after seeing what was going on behind this Creature's safe-haven, after seeing men, women and children being bargained off like pieces of meat, his conviction was sorely shaken up. Trying to reign in his emotions before they over-stepped the boundaries, he let out a low, steadying breath, and continued. "Something about an alliance, wasn't it?"

"Indeed."

Taking the time to study their Lord and Master with a shrewdly calculating expression, Harry remained silent, figuring the Doctor would be much better at negotiating their terms. Chris, Harry soon realised, was standing beside the iron archway, his head downcast but his attention unmistakably trained upon them. Harry suppressed a grin with great difficulty. But it vanished from non-existence as his eyes returned to the company they were now keeping.

His eyes trailing over the pure, night-ebony-black robe that was draped about the Demon's shoulders, Harry held back a shudder.

Red eyes, black cloak.

This guy seemed to be the Demonic equivalent of Voldemort.

Were they _really_ about to bargain with him?

"So, this alliance … what are you willing to exchange if we agreed to make it?"

Apparently they _were_ really about to bargain with him.

The Demon stared at the Doctor, his crimson eyes narrowing, more out of an impatient tolerance than outright dislike. The Doctor stared defiantly back.

"That depends on what it is that you need," he replied, after a moment's pause.

"Answers," Harry stated, forced-calmly. The Doctor nodded once, his eyes never leaving the scarlet orbs before him. Just as the Demon's eyes refused to leave the Doctor's.

"Is that all?" the Demon asked, amusement alight behind his low, scratchily grating tones.

Silence coursed throughout the dimly lit cave, its tantalising stillness robbing the air of everything, as the Doctor faltered, unsure of how best to voice their main approach to the bargain.

"No," he agreed, as the Demon's impatience fluttered towards his senses, alerting him to the short temper of the being that was leaning against the stone wall, face half hidden by a dim, blood-red shadow. He glanced across to Harry, who nodded once, then turned back to the Demon, his eyes briefly flittering across to a motionless Chris, before-hand.

A tiny glance that soon settled his resolve.

He squared his shoulders, face set, expression one of the utmost sincerity.

"We want you to free every single soul you are containing down here. Every last living being that has been captured, enslaved, _sold_, or _killed_ for Demonic pleasure. Those you've murdered will be able to finally move on. Those enslaved will have their lives back. I understand that you need magic to survive, I _get _that … but there are other ways to go about it. What you're doing, buying and selling, murdering _living_ witches and wizards is way over the mark, buddy."

Chris visibly winced, as though trying to prepare himself for the accusations and abuse he believed he was going to get once the Doctor and Harry had left. His shudder caught Harry's attention immediately. But the Doctor was focussed solely upon Chris' Master, who had yet to speak. Yet to even move a muscle.

He was simply stood there, leaning against the wall. Just _staring_ at them …

"Are you serious?" he questioned at last, the silence becoming almost unbearable.

"Deadly," the Doctor confirmed, nodding sharply.

"How could you even _think_ I would consider granting such a thing?" he demanded, an eerie calmness overlaying his words at he continued to defiantly stare the Doctor down.

The Doctor, being the Doctor, met his challenge ten-fold, refusing to even blink as he spoke.

"You want an alliance. You want _us_ to go up against the greatest Evil this side of the Galaxy. You want Good to work alongside Evil. For that, there's gotta be a pretty huge pay-packet awaiting us at the end. You know what's going on. You know who we're up against. You know how Rose and I were dragged into this. You know who healed me after my near-brush with wolf-Rose. You know how the Master is involved with all of this. And you know who's recently reopened a Mind Link with me. _You_ have the answers we need to end this, once and for all. But you can't do it by yourselves, otherwise you'd have disposed of this threat already. You need _us_. We won't work for free."

The Doctor fell silent, his final sentence lingering almost mockingly in the air, before fading away into stillness.

After a moment's pause, the Demon finally tore its gaze from the Doctor's. He turned away, his infuriated expression landing on Chris, who tactfully remained immobile, staring at the floor.

Just waiting. Silently praying …

"It seems I have no choice."

The Doctor smothered a widely triumphant grin with immense difficulty. Harry was less composed, unable to control and keep in his great sigh of relief as he turned to smile at Chris.

Chris, unable to believe his ears, blinked and finally looked up, his expression a mirror of shock and amazement, hope, and a hint of pessimism to believe that freedom could soon well be in his reach, blazing within his intensely blue eyes. The Demon's hard glare was all he needed to know that it was true.

His Master was furious, but resigned.

Dare he say it, the Doctor had done it.

He was free …

"We need this Alliance, Doctor," the Demon declared, harshly, turning back to the Doctor. "This threat must be eliminated, for both our Worlds' sakes. Voldemort must be stopped. His plans must be thwarted before it is too late. And if the only way we can make this Alliance is to end our sacrifices … then so be it. I cannot deny that it is a fair exchange, when considering what it is that your side will be sacrificing. You and Harry especially, Doctor. This is going to cost the two of you dearly. However, if it _is_ to become fact that we no longer trade witches and wizards, we need another source of magic to make up for it. We _need_ their magic, Doctor."

The Doctor nodded, gravely.

"Understood," he remarked, sincerely. "Perfectly understandable, and I am sure that once this is all finished, we can come to an arrangement suitable to everyone."

The Demon nodded, vaguely.

"We have no time for this, right now. There is work to be done, Doctor. Do we have an accord, or not?"

The Doctor frowned, considering the Demon's face quickly, before nodding firmly. "Yes," he murmured, a little surprised by how quickly the negotiating had been resolved. But the Demon was right; there was no time to dwell on that.

But Harry narrowed his eyes in suspicion, suddenly feeling a faint sense of trepidation. The Demon had agreed to their request _far_ too quickly … Were they really _that_ desperate? …

"What's your name?"

The Doctor's curious voice cut through Harry's worries like a knife through melted butter, and he looked up, suddenly curious himself.

"Oh, I have so many names that it's hard to keep track. But, to make things easier, you can call me Death. That _is_, after all, who you were so eager to meet, was it not?" the Demon asked, a wide smirk spreading across his thin, scarlet lips, as his mood lightened considerably.

Harry's blood suddenly ran cold through his veins. His mouth agape, he took a shaky step backwards reflexively, staring at the robed, red-eyed Demon standing feet from them, his mind racing. The Doctor was staring, too, but he had apparently handled the news a lot better than Harry had. He was wearing a look that suggested to Harry that he'd suspected as much, from the beginning.

But Harry hadn't. He hadn't even _considered_ it.

Death …

The one Demon they'd been tracking down had apparently been tracking them down, too.

Chris' Master … was the Head of the Underworld? And they'd just formed an Alliance with him.

They'd just made a Deal with Death.

* * *

**Well, there it is. I'm not going to play sunshine and daises and pretend to expect to update quickly, 'cause I already know I'm going to find it difficult making time to write. As much as I hate to admit to that! No, you guys deserve better. So in the meantime, I just want to thank all of you for your amazing patience! Seriously, this story would be _nothing_ without you wonderful, _wonderful_ readers and reviewers! **

**Thank you so, so much!  
And please pray for me. Maybe God will be kind, and give me a day off.**

**Maybe …**

**Please review, though. I still want to know what you guys think!**

**Huge hugs,  
xXx MissHaunted MoonLight xXx**


	24. Specks of Gold

**A.N. Hey guess what?! I'm back! (Giddy dance)**

**Sorry for the (scowls distastefully) _delay_, but you know how life is …**

**(Shrugs)**

**A.N.N. We (i.e. avid Harry Potter Fans) are mere months away from discovering the ultimate truth. Book 7 is out in July. Just after Film 5, I believe. But … well, my story deals with certain issues within the book that will be addressed later on. Like the Horcruxes. So I am going to make it real clear, here, that from here on in, anything relating to the Horcruxes and the Final Battle are completely AU. Like you, I know not what is to come for Harry, so this is merely my interpretation of what _could_ happen. I hope it's enjoyable!**

_-----------------------------_

**As always, thanks to everyone that's reviewed! The Doctor's Tenth Companion, Shrink To Be, padfoots-wife, Tai Greywing, Blaidd Drwgg, addicted-to-fantasy, izzfrogger and blondesavmorefun!**

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Thank you so much! Yup, can't _wait_ for my GCSEs … looks around to see how many people are staring at her with shock, confusion and pity burning within their eyes … not insane, not a workaholic, not insane, not a workaholic … Okay, maybe just a _little_ bit …  
Ahem, moving on … Thank you again! Much appreciated! And 'cause you seem to like 'em so much (and because you sent me chocolate! ;P), I'm gonna send you even more sporks! Everyone loves sporks! Yay for the Sporks!!  
Not insane, promise! Anyway, thanks for reviewing! Thanks for reading! Thanks for sticking with me, even through my insane replies and wide-spread updating routines! It really does mean so much!

**LittleGinny15: **Thanks for reviewing again! I still love hearing from you! Hope you like this one! Oh, and Doctor/Rose fluff? You'll just have to wait and see … Smiles mysteriously …

* * *

**Specks of Gold**

_Jack could do nothing. He merely watched, his heart thumping, his mind racing, a strange sense of doom settling within his veins, as Voldemort took an edgy step forwards, wand poised and aimed directly at Jack's heart._

'So this is how it ends. Sorry, Teri. Maybe the Doctor's not coming, after all. Can't say we didn't try, though._'_

_-----------------------------_

The green light illuminated the entire chamber, the brightness so vibrant that every occupant, including the caster, himself, found they had to shield their eyes from the intensity of it.

There was an echoing '_Bang!_', loud enough to shatter eardrums …

And then silence.

A thick and choking build up of dust slowly thinned out, fluttering away into nothingness, leaving a stunned and unmoving stillness to drape like a veil over the entire chamber.

For the sight before them all was one that needed a certain level of comprehension to alight within their heads. A comprehension that, right now, none of them possessed.

But that was about to change.

The realisation had finally clicked.

There was Jack.

Lying face-down, before them.

Motionless.

A fallen warrior, crumpled, his whiter than white hands splayed out just above his head in his vain attempts to draw in the full attack, to save those around him. One knee was bent beneath his broken body at an oddly out-of-place angle. But other than that … there was nothing.

Not a mark littered his ghostly pale skin. Not a cut, not a bruise, not a scratch.

Nothing.

And he'd be like it forever.

For he was quite dead.

'Nothing' may have marked his perfect skin. But 'nothing' also glistened within his once sparkling eyes. They held no sign of life.

They were empty.

Completely, and utterly empty.

And with that knowledge came the realisation.

It finally clicked.

An inhuman, _screeching_ chorus at last erupted as the past few moments fully registered within the many numbed-by-shock minds of the Order.

Luna, Neville, Tonks and Lupin were the first to snap out of the mortified trance. They were the first to react.

They were the first to accept the truth.

Their new friend. The stranger. The captive.

He was dead.

They had failed.

As a satisfied _evil_ laugh fluttered over towards them from the doorway, four pairs of legs gave out beneath their owners, and four friends hit the deck hard beside the fallen form of Captain Jack Harkness.

As one, each screamed out.

A scream of denial. A scream of sorrow and hatred.

A scream of failure.

"_No!_"

* * *

Wormtail sighed heavily, staring at the unrolling mass of killer snake that was gently hissing to itself beside him. Heat radiated out from the blazing fireplace of Riddle House. The broken and boarded doors and windows left little light to illuminate the amalgam of dust and years' worth of neglect that had settled within the old room.

How he despised that snake.

That _creature_ was …

Well, he didn't _know_ what the Hell it was, to be honest.

It was just …

_Evil_ …

'_But then, pets take on the personality of their Masters_,' he reasoned to himself, grimly.

Nagini's head suddenly perked up, those intensely burning eyes of hers focussed unsmilingly upon his face.

Almost as though she knew exactly what he was thinking …

Wormtail shivered.

But a thought struck him, halting the movement immediately.

A thought that allowed a tiny smile to spread ever-so-carefully over his lined, rat-like features.

A smile of chance.

His Master was in another location _entirely_.

…

He could have done it and legged it _way _before Voldemort found out …

As Nagini recoiled, her head sinking back down onto the moth-eaten, aged rug, Wormtail clambered almost unseeingly to his feet.

His mind made up, the Animagus shuffled warily forwards, a strangely malicious glint sparkling within his ever-staring eyes.

And his silver and outstretched hand glistened threateningly in the firelight, dancing flames sparking upon it like fireflies around the darkened room, as it extended soundlessly towards the sleeping creature, lying oblivious upon the hearth.

* * *

"Well, no time like the present, let's get straight to business," the Doctor declared cheerily, gently massaging his head for a moment before throwing himself down into a newly conjured armchair that had been accompanied by a loud and echoing clap of thunder. Death's work, apparently.

The same noise echoed around Harry's head a second time in as many seconds, and the next moment, Death was sitting opposite the Doctor on a large and luxurious black leather sofa, the black-velvet cloak wisping about him as though made of air.

The epitaph of casual and cool.

Quite … out of character, or so Harry would have thought., for the Head of the Underworld.

Shaking his head slightly at the bizarrely unusual sight, Harry crossed the few paces between them and raised his wand, before sinking a second later into his own chair, beside the Doctor.

"A drink, Doctor?"

Harry blinked and stared open-mouthed at him, stumped. Of all the times … ?

"Erm, yeah, alright, why not?"

Harry caught the roguish grin flashed his way from the answerer, and a broad smile flitted across his own face, for a moment.

Yet another clap of thunder reverberated around the strangely brightly lit room. A fire was roaring a second later between them; a beautiful marble-hearth coal fire. The flames licked tantalisingly at Harry's exposed skin, warming up his very soul with such warmth and wonder.

They'd been underground for _so_ long …

"Harry? You alright?"

Harry jumped, startled, and nodded as he spotted the Doctor's look of open concern. He glanced down a moment later to find a glass of a strange, red-coloured liquid enclosed within his hands.

Taking a tentative sip, he discovered it was in fact an incredibly rich and fruity port wine.

One of splendour.

The kind high-ups would drink with business associates after an especially beneficial deal was finalised.

But this was so _absurd_!

They were drinking with Death! Relaxing! Chatting almost amiably as though they were work buddies!

Harry blinked and looked up as the conversations beside him fluttered completely over his head. He was still trying to take all of this in. It was all so … _unreal_ …

Chris ambled past him, a large bottle of the same blood-red liquid held precariously in his arms.

He, too, seemed quite out of it. Dazed. Amazed. Oblivious to the comings and goings around him.

Perhaps the knowledge that he was almost _free_ was finally starting to sink in.

The man carefully placed the bottle down upon a newly created oak polished table that now sat between Death and the Doctor, a broad smile upon his face, a glazed and joyous look shining like wildfire within his twinkling orbs.

Almost as though he could feel Harry looking, Chris glanced his way, focus snapping back, again. Harry smiled warmly at him, relieved to know that there was hope for their friend and his family, yet. Overjoyed, Chris beamed back, before retreating, leaving through the door through which they had entered mere minutes before, with a courteous bow to his Master.

Harry sighed, a calming sigh that, mixed with the wine, helped to ease his nerves and overworked mind.

If only for a few minutes.

Death, this guy may have been. But he was certainly friendly.

Odd, that.

Harry smiled at the irony.

And then forced his mind to re-engage. He struggled to empty it of the happy thoughts that had suddenly entered his head, the thoughts of millions of freed slaves, and fought to return his attention to the Doctor and Death.

This wasn't the time to dwell on what the future could bring!

He was here for a reason!

He was here for answers!

It seemed, at long last, that he was mere seconds away from receiving them.

And judging by the look of utmost seriousness that had abruptly taken over the Doctor's exhausted-looking face, as he straightened up and fixed his 'acquaintance' with an intensely piercing stare, Harry knew that it was now or never.

* * *

Rose shivered.

The air was warm. The atmosphere unbearably stuffy.

And yet she shivered, drawing herself ever deeper into her jacket as she sped up the pace slightly, leading the group ever further through the winding marketplace, her eyes downcast – if only to avoid witnessing the endless auctions and ongoing sales of pure-blood-beings.

It was sick. Horrible. Scarring.

She'd seen more than her fair share of horrors, travelling with the Doctor. But _this_ … well, it was a league one to itself.

No matter how much she wanted to convince herself otherwise, she had no doubt whatsoever that this was the fault of the being they had been searching for from the very beginning.

This was the infamous 'Death'.

A surge of pure, blackened hatred erupted within her chest, piercing her soul angrily. Surely the Doctor was going to do something about this ?!

'_Well_,' she resolved to herself, as they meandered almost mindlessly through the ongoing stalls, '_if _he_ doesn't, _I_ most certainly will_.'

* * *

Voldemort's laughter reverberated around the already echoing chamber, chilling blood within pulsing veins … searing very souls until they wanted to leap from their owners chests and run for the Hills by themselves. Not that _that_ was remotely possible, of course …

No. Those souls were just as trapped as the bodies that encased them.

That laugh … it haunted them. Chased them. Ate away at their very beings, cutting through to the core of each and every man and woman standing before him.

This creature had just killed one of his own captives …

All that energy spent on getting Jack into this reality, and it was all for nothing.

And there was no way in Hell _they_ could go up against him. It was pointless. Every single member within that chamber knew damn straight that they'd had it. All those years of fighting … and it had to end like this.

The mad glint within Voldemort's piercing red eyes held no comfort, no mercy. Not a drop. They held hatred. A hatred so dark that they burned with the intensity of it.

In his eyes, these people were an obstacle. The living, breathing Order members littered about his chambers were obstacles to his final goal; World Domination.

And as such, they had to be eliminated. Simple as.

Most had accepted thief fate, it seemed, as he glanced around him, taking in the carnage and wreckage with hardly-suppressed wonder. His 'Demons' lay smouldering upon the polished oak floor. The odd Order member lay sprawled upon the cold, hard ground, or stared up at a nearby wall.

But none moved.

They'd given up. They _welcomed_ death.

And being the gentleman that he was, Voldermort felt it only common courtesy to happily oblige.

In fact, so wrapped up was he with his incessant gloating and smugness, that he never spotted the stirring of movement beneath his feet, as he began to make his way slowly towards Luna and Neville.

Neither paid him heed. They were focussing intently upon Jack.

And suddenly, so was Voldemort.

So was the rest of the room.

For the Late Captain Jack Harkness was rousing.

* * *

_Teri understood. She had wanted answers_, needed _to know why she had spent the last ten years alone. _

_And she'd known why all along. _

All along, _the answers she'd so desperately needed had been inside her own head._

_Tears cascading down her cheeks, she shook her head violently, no longer aware of the pain enforced upon her by the machine that was slowly pulling out her Memories. As pain, understanding and anguish flared within her soul, she screamed out, ten years of loneliness urging her cries on, as she cried for her family._

"NO!"

_-----------------------------_

"So … where to start?"

Both Harry and the Doctor remained silent, unsure themselves of what to ask first. Death merely watched them intensely over the rim of his glass, sprawled comfortably as he was upon his leather sofa.

Bottling his own desire to know the truth, Harry waited for the Doctor to make the first move.

And was amazed by the question that came out a second later.

"Why can ice statues survive down here for thousands of years without so much as a _trickle_ of water upon their shiny and captivating surfaces?"

The atmosphere had, as he'd wished, broken slightly. Unease was less easy to trace.

Death raised his eyebrows, staring at the Doctor like he had two heads. Harry's mouth was hanging open, and he scratched the top of his head in disbelief.

"Of _all_ the questions …" he murmured, more to himself. But the Doctor shot him a broad and infectious grin, confirming that he'd heard the remark, himself. Shaking his head, Harry grinned back.

Death, who had been momentarily wrong-footed by the absurdity of the Doctor's opening question, cleared his throat and carefully considered what to say.

"Well … the water from the river around them protects them from the heat. It has many properties, and its power can be harnessed in different ways. The most it is used for, though, is the protection and preservation of the ice-sculptures, which stand as a tribute to the generations of ancestors who passed before me. A monument to the Underworld."

The Doctor leaned forwards, frowning.

"But that's not the _only_ thing the liquid's used for."

It wasn't a question.

Harry unknowingly straightened in his seat, staring intently at the suddenly uncomfortable-looking being of Darkness before him. After a long and spiralling hesitation, Death spoke, his voice low and almost regretful.

"It has been known to affect locals," he offered at last, frowning at the Doctor before downing the rest of his glass' contents.

As it happened, neither the Doctor nor Harry seemed particularly surprised by that revelation.

After all, they'd seen what the liquid could do for itself first hand … with Rose and Hermione …

"It creates mutants," Harry almost murmured, glaring. "Those Wolf-creatures … they lived down here, didn't they? _They fell in_!"

Death considered the blind fury upon Harry's once youthful face, and nodded.

"They did. But by their own terms. Those gardens are for Public use. No damage can be done, the sculptures cannot be moved, so I thought, well why not let others view them? Only … well, slaves are careless. Being down here … well, let's just say they care very little for survival, now. Many a slave vanishes, day after day, and it's quite obvious that one more Wolf has joined the ranks of the rebellion."

The Doctor stared, wide-eyed.

"Rebellion," he said, quietly, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. His head was pounding, now, aching, burning beneath his skull, but he ignored it. "Those creatures … a rebellion? No, it couldn't be …"

Then his eyes snapped up, a look of mild horror upon his face.

"Harry, they weren't trying to attack us, they were trying to_ warn_ us! They wanted us to turn back! To _leave_! Looking like we do, they must have assumed we were slaves!"

Harry frowned.

"But why would they attack us, then? A huge group of them nearly sliced and diced me, Ginny and the Twins, back in that … Weapons store …"

The colour drained from his cheeks. The Doctor was nodding slowly, things beginning to make a hazy sort of sense beneath the burning of his mind.

"Those weapons," Harry whispered, "we thought whoever was down here just collected them." He elaborated at the Doctor's blank expression. "Oh, we meant to tell you but things've been a little crazy. Me and Ginny met the Twins in a Weapons storage area. There was _loads_ of stuff! Knives, daggers, swords, bombs, guns, chains, rope, bricks, pipes, hammers _… everything_! We wanted to investigate, but a siren went off and those Wolf-things came looking … but you're saying it _belongs_ to them?" he finished, disbelievingly.

Again, the Doctor merely nodded.

"They're forming an alliance against me," Death said at last, almost glumly.

The Doctor's already wavering resolve was rapidly shrinking. There was an incessant ringing in his ears, his wounds were throbbing to the core, irritating and piercing him, constantly demanding that he take notice of them. So suffering as he was, he couldn't quench the wild fury that was now pulsing through his veins.

"_Well what do you expect_ ?!" he demanded, angrily. "You've _kidnapped_ them! Dragged them from their homes, their families, their _lives_! Or worse, pulled their families down with them! _Of course_ they're gonna fight!"

Death, quickly regaining his own composure, merely shrugged.

"We need them, Doctor. It's as simple as that. We cannot survive without their magic, as well you know."

"Yeah? Well, that's gotta change. And believe me, I _will_ be changing it."

And the Doctor fell silent, glaring at the Head of the Underworld with as much hatred as he could muster.

God … _his head_ …

Grimacing, he shook it, slightly, hoping to calm it down, but as with most migraines he only ended up making it worse.

Harry noticed, but remained silent. Instead, he chose to change the subject. The Doctor was on his last legs, it seemed. They needed to get on with this.

Returning his gaze to their acquaintance, he considered his next question, taking a sip of his wine before pursuing with it.

"So … Look, I need to know about Voldemort's Horcruxes," he started, forced-calmly. Setting the glass down, he stared at Death over the rim of his glasses, almost in a perfect impersonation of Dumbledore. As an act of intimidation, it barely worked, for Death simply leant further back into the sofa, cool and calm once again.

"Oh, you do, do you?" he asked, smugly.

Harry said nothing, sparing a glance for the Doctor, who was rubbing at his eyes while trying to focus upon Death's response.

"Well …" the robed-being stalled, stroking his shadowed chin, playing the great thinker. "It depends on what you want to know about them."

Harry's response was immediate.

"Who is R.A.B and did he destroy the locket before he died?"

Death grinned.

"His initials stand for Regulus Arcturus Black, and he did indeed destroy Slytherin's Locket. Right after retrieving it, it burned. And he burned with it."

Harry's stomach dropped. His already white-with-fatigue complexion paled yet another notch. Ghostly pale fingers gripped ever tighter onto the locket still hidden within the pocket of his jeans, and flames from the fireplace flickered against his jade-green eyes as they widened in horror.

"Sirius' brother?" he less than whispered.

Death nodded, smirking.

"Indeed. Regulus Arcturus Black, 1961 to 1979, the son of Orion Black and his wife and second-cousin Walburga. Allegedly killed by Death Eaters for reasons unknown. _Now_, perhaps you can see what those 'reasons' really were."

Harry's hands were shaking as they gripped tightly to his chair arms.

"And Sirius never knew …"

"Knew what?" Death asked, curious, completely ignoring the kid's shock and horror. Tactless.

Harry blinked and looked up.

"That Regulus followed in his brother's footsteps. That Sirius' _little brother_ went against his Lord and Master … That he died helping our side," he added, softly.

Death made a small 'o' shape with his mouth, paused, then shrugged.

"Right, well, moving on," he said, briskly, reaching down to refill his glass. "Next question. We don't have all century."

Harry's mouth dropped open in disbelief, but he soon closed it again when the Doctor finally spoke.

His voice was faint, the words almost slurred. Almost.

Anxiety was eating away at Harry's insides, but again he held his tongue. Maybe later …

"What and where are the two remaining Horcruxes?"

A light was shining within the ever-staring red eyes, now. Death looked positively gleeful as his eyes rested on the Doctor's shivering form. Sure, they'd made an alliance, but there was no reason why he couldn't enjoy seeing his enemies suffer … just this once.

Sadistic, some may call it. But in all honesty, Death really didn't care. It was who he was. And he could feel it coming. Death was on his doorstep. Literally. 'The Doctor was on his last legs.

His broad grin filtered through the glass as he raised it to his lips, the image distorted and making his face look out of proportion. Setting it down again, he stared at Harry, thoughtfully.

"Voldemort's snake is the fifth Horcrux, as you rightly surmised. And you'll be happy to know that it is being dealt with at this very moment."

Harry's eyebrows narrowed suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his tone low and doubtful.

Death's smile widened.

"You may recall, Harry, a night near the end of your third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A night when you discovered the truth about one Sirius Black. A night when you met the Four Marauders. A night when Peter Pettigrew's life was spared."

Harry's eyes were as round as saucers.

"Nah, you're jesting," he said sceptically, shaking his head.

Death shook his head in response, close to laughing.

"Nope. Peter Pettigrew's life debt is, mere seconds from now, about to be repaid."

"He won't do it," Harry said simply. "He'll bottle it."

Death's laughter echoed eerily around the Chamber, and Harry's curiosity peaked.

"Are you serious? Wormtail is going to destroy one of his Master's Horcruxes?"

Harry didn't want to believe it. There was _no way_ this could all be happening … it was too easy …

Death paused for a moment, an almost glazed look falling across those gleaming scarlet orbs like a veil, before he snapped back to normal, grinning.

"Correction, Wormtail _has_ destroyed one of his Master's Horcruxes, yes."

Harry's heart skipped a beat.

This was so … _absurd_!

In the space of five minutes, Harry had discovered that _two_ of Voldemort's ex-followers had aided in the destruction of their master … and to top it all off, Harry had just one more Horcrux to find and destroy before going after Voldemort himself.

This was all happening _far_ too quickly.

And what was with the Doctor? Did he not have questions of his own to ask?

As that thought hit him, he glanced once again at the subject of his thoughts and sighed heavily, unsure of what to do. The Doctor was obviously _trying_ to keep quiet. He was trying to finish what they'd set out to do.

Trying to wear that brave mask of his.

But Harry knew better.

The Doctor seemed to notice that he was being watched, though. He blinked and looked up, staring Bambi-wide across to Harry, a look of unimaginable pain glistening within his deep, haunted eyes.

And as their eyes locked, they both knew.

He was dying.

They were rapidly running out of Time.

"The time's up for pleasantries, then?" Death asked, watching the wordless exchange with interest. Harry glared at him, and nodded.

"Yes," he said shortly.

* * *

"Well, come on, next question, then!"

What Harry and the Doctor seemed to have forgotten was that he still hadn't told them of the last Horcrux.

And of course, _he_ wasn't one for reminding other people about _their_ _own _business. If it had slipped their minds, he'd wait it out. _That_ revelation would be a killer.

He couldn't wait.

'_Not long, now!_'

Feeling anxiety and anticipation swelling up within his chest, butterflies twittering madly within the pit of his stomach, Death blinked and looked up to see Harry glaring at him with unbridled hatred.

And he smiled knowingly.

Harry felt like grabbing that midnight-black cloak and ripping it from those cheery shoulders. He _dearly_ wanted to ram it down Death's throat along with a few poisonous potions, a few of which he could probably buy from outside if he dared to venture out, once again.

And judging by the look upon the Demon's face, Death knew it, too. His smirk widened.

* * *

But the Doctor had had enough. Calmness aside, he needed answers. He couldn't cope with this.

"Who has a mind-link with me?" he almost spat as a fresh wave of pain hit his senses, bringing his hands up to scrabble at his hair.

God, it _hurt_! It hurt _so_ much!

"Now, _that_, Doctor, I believe you already know for yourself."

The Doctor looked up, pushing away the pain as he stared at the Head of the Underworld with a look of complete and utter disbelief upon his shock-white face.

"But … but it isn't possible," he whispered, hoarsely.

Death merely shrugged.

"Doctor, you _know_ that the only people who could ever have had a direct mind-link with you are those of your own kind. That much is obvious, you've just been too naïve to see it for yourself."

Harry was inexplicably relieved that all three of them were sitting, right now, because had the Doctor been standing, he would surely have collapsed. Not a drop of colour remained within his once rosy cheeks. They had paled beyond comparison as he struggled against whatever was happening to him … but now, he didn't even seem to be breathing.

"_A Time Lord_ ?!" he less than whispered.

Death nodded once, solemnly for a change. His happy-go-lucky attitude had diminished, somewhat.

Which could mean only one thing; this discovery was deathly serious.

* * *

"Um, excuse me, but we're looking for the Doctor. You wouldn't happen to know who he is, would you?"

Rose's voice was polite, inviting. She stared at what she supposed was yet another slave with a look that told him she had very little faith that he knew of who she spoke.

Ever anxious, Ginny wanted to chip in her bit, too.

"He's a tall man with brown hair and really cute eyes, and he was with a young man with black hair and green eyes and glasses. Seen them anywhere?"

The wide-eyed slave was about to reply, when another, softer voice jumped the gun.

"Please … are you … _Rose_?"

Rose jumped, startled. She turned to see a young man standing slightly to the left, behind the slave they had just asked. The slave in question gave them all a look of pure confusion, before shrugging and turning away, hurrying again into the milling crowds, desperate to get away.

But no-one was paying any attention to him, now.

All eyes were focussed upon the newcomer. The man with ashen skin, piercingly blue eyes, and a Victorian-styled outfit that was literally falling to bits

Rose shivered.

"Yes," she said, quietly. "Um, sorry, but … how do you know my name?"

The slave smiled broadly.

"The Doctor speaks of you often," he said, cryptically.

Rose's heart stopped..

"_You know him_ ?!" she breathed, hardly daring to believe it. A broad smile of her own illuminated her tired features, and she felt a sudden desire to leap forwards and hug the strange man. "Oh God, I'm so relieved he's alright! Do you know where he is? Could you take us to him?"

So caught up was she with her relief that she didn't notice the slave's face fall as she said 'alright'. As he knew all too well, the Doctor was far from being alright. But infected by her relief and energy, his smile quickly returned, and he nodded at her, sending squeals of joy flittering out from within her rosy lips.

"And Harry?" Hermione whispered, breathlessly.

The slave nodded again.

"Yes, Harry is with him. They're with my master, discussing matters of Life and Death, I believe. I know not the subject, but I _do_ know that I must hurry home, for I have amazing news to break to my family."

"Where are they?" Rose asked, grinning. The slave smiled warmly back.

"Follow this street and take the next left. It's straight ahead. You can't miss it! A huge archway leads into my Master's house. Your friends are in there."

Rose _did_ run forwards and hug him, this time.

"Oh, _thank you_!" she squeaked, grinning from ear to ear. Then she pulled away, desperate to carry on. Glancing over her shoulder, she spotted the six other beaming faces, and knew that they were all as eager to push on as she was.

Reluctantly, she let her arms drop to her sides once again and stepped back, feeling Hermione's hand squeeze her shoulder. The slave seemed momentarily dazed, but soon recovered.

A genuine beam of happiness illuminated his gaunt, stark-white features.

"Your Doctor really is a remarkable man. He has saved me. He has saved _all _of us! I'm sorry, but I must get home. My family will be so thrilled! Bless you all, dear Rose. Bless you all. And please thank the Doctor again. I will be forever in his debt!"

And with that, he sent one final smile to each of them, and hurried away, practically skipping through the marketplace until he was consumed by the milling crowds.

Rose, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, the Twins and the Master all stood, staring after the strange but ecstatic man, temporarily stunned.

Then they bolted, hurtling through the marketplace like lightning, never once stopping, somehow managing to swerve all other 'pedestrians' until the looming archway was towering above them.

Five wizards raised their wands as they skidded to a halt directly in front of the impressive ironwork.

It was black. Nothing but a black, seemingly endless hole.

Rose considered it, suddenly unexplainably wary. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end. There was an incessant sense of foreboding somewhere at the back of her mind.

But her need to see the Doctor again over-rode her anxiety and caution.

Shaking the persisting feelings away and choosing to ignore all of the warning signs, she nodded once to the others, who nodded back, composed herself, and led the way into the blackness beyond.

'_I'm here, Doctor,_' she thought happily, reassuring herself. '_I'm here._'

* * *

"I can't understand it … they all _died_! How can it be? I destroyed _everything_! I _had_ to! It isn't possible that someone survived that!"

Harry felt his insides knot together tightly. '_The Time War._'

But Death was vehemently shaking his head.

"No, Doctor. One survived. A young girl, perhaps seven years of age. _You_ saved her!"

The Doctor looked dazed. His head was pounding unbearably, but he ignored it.

"The child …" he whispered. "But … b-but she died! She died on my ship! She faded away, I _saw_ her!"

Again, Death shook his head. He seemed almost frustrated.

"No, she was pulled back into her mother's Time Ship. The child's mother knew of the dangers around her. She'd had sense. She set her TARDIS to hover a few hundred miles away from the planet in stand-by mode. She also programmed it to pick up her daughter's biochemical trace once the danger had passed. It had been a rough guess. She'd given her planet about two hours to be completely destroyed, thus, two hours later, her daughter 'vanished' from your ship."

The Doctor was speechless. Harry gaped at him, eyes wide and staring, a strange feeling of hope and admiration swelling within his heart for both the man standing stock-still before him, and the young girl, probably miles away, who had risked her life to save the Doctor's.

"So she reconnected the TARDIS to the Time Vortex," the Doctor said, softly, thinking things through. Harry stared at him, confused, but the Doctor seemed oblivious.

Death, however, nodded his agreement.

"Yes, after she pulled you here, your TARDIS fell out of the Time Vortex. That is why you were unable to use it during your brief stay at Hogwarts, yes?"

The Doctor nodded.

"The Time Lady reconnected your ship in the hopes that you could find her. She pulled you from your place in space and time while under torture, I might add," he said, calmly. The Doctor's eyes widened in horror, but Death seemed not to notice, and continued.

"Unbeknownst to _her_, you soon found yourself wrapped up with the whole 'Lord Voldemort' affair. She doesn't fully understand the implications of her captor. He captured her for experiments, but _you_ were an accident. You're not supposed to be here, in his eyes. You're a complication."

But Death's words were becoming harder and harder to hear. His voice was growing faint, and the buzzing in the Doctor's ears was growing in strength …

He shook his head desperately. He _needed_ to hear this!

But the next words he caught were not those of information.

"You're failing, are you not, Doctor?"

The Doctor blinked and looked up, his eyes unfocused.

"What?" he murmured, holding his head.

"As she dies, the machine to which she is attached to will revert to its primary task. You were supposed to die many minutes ago, Doctor. You may recall from your Fifth Regeneration, a machine that extracts memories … Ahh, I see you _do_ remember it," he added, seeing the Doctor's eyes snap shut in recognition.

He'd thought as much. In all respects, it shouldn't have been a surprise. He'd suspected it since the events out in the No-Place.

But he'd still prayed that he'd been wrong.

And suddenly, everything made sense.

As blackness danced at the corners of his mind, mingling with the pain of his injuries, the pain of the mental attack, and the pain of realisation, the Doctor could only scream as memory after memory was ripped away from him.

* * *

"_Ouch_!"

Ron glanced up in time to see Hermione gripping her wrist, tears of pain welling up in her eyes. Consumed by blackness save for the five balls of light upon five outstretched wands, the others had to stop and retrace their steps to her side.

"Herms, what is it?" he asked, anxiously.

Hermione shook her head and mutely pulled back her sleeve, exposing her arm to the chill and darkness.

And Rose's blood ran cold through her veins, freezing her heart.

Two words were glaring up at them.

Words that both Rose and the Doctor had discovered upon Hermione's arm, back in the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts.

Words that, _back then_, had been written in black ink.

But not anymore.

Now they bled. Two words were formed from angry, bleeding cuts along her right arm.

The image burned into their eyes.

Hermione whimpered as she raised her arm slightly, moving it around weakly to try and ease the pain.

But Rose hardly noticed.

Ginny, the Twins and even the Master huddled closer to Ron and Hermione to read what the worlds said, staring with a sick kind of attraction at the already-healing cuts.

But Rose didn't.

For she already knew what they said.

And what they meant.

"I don't remember doing that," she faintly heard Hermione declare, her voice breaking as pain flittered up and down her arm.

But Rose wasn't listening.

The words were burned into her mind, dripping scarlet blood and scarring Hermione's skin. But they scarred Rose's heart, as well.

_Nocens Lupus._

_Bad Wolf_.

Suddenly unable to think, her mind a blank save for the words ringing non-stop around her head, Rose ran, ignoring the shouts and cries of shock from her friends.

Unsure of where she'd come from, or of where she was headed, Rose ran, sprinting through the darkness, not turning back, not looking around, hardly even breathing.

Her head was pounding, all of a sudden. There was a burning ache within her heart, like something was missing.

And then she felt it.

The TARDIS.

_Run, Rose! Hurry!_

So Rose ran.

She didn't have a clue how the TARDIS was speaking to her. Nothing made any sense. She didn't care that she'd left five teenage wizards with the Doctor's arch nemesis.

All she could see was the Doctor.

And he was hurting.

Dying.

Her eyes burned within their sockets, and her vision distorted, slightly. The blackness wasn't black anymore. Specks of gold danced around her, teasingly pulling away from her and guiding her through the endless darkness.

And still she ran.

Bad Wolf was back.

She needed to find him.

She needed the Doctor.

* * *

Harry's heart plummeted as he watched in horror. The Doctor fell to his knees, sliding from the sofa almost elegantly. His trembling hands tore desperately at his hair, as he finally managed to understand just _what _was happening to him. Harry's legs dragged him forwards, his body on automatic, and he crouched down beside his fallen friend, his mind blank.

Death, meanwhile, was watching the proceedings with interest, a look of wondrous fascination upon his face.

Knowing that time was running short, he decided that his own morbid fantasies would have to wait. Like it or not, Death _needed_ the Doctor.

So he knelt down beside him, disposing of the table between them with one wave of his hand. A loud crack reverberated around the room, and it vanished from existence. He knelt over the shivering form, one finger pressing gently upon the angry, bleeding wound on the Doctor's neck.

The Doctor gasped in pain and his eyes snapped open, urgent and soulful.

"S-she can't … can't h-hold it!" he forced out, his head slipping to one side, his eyes whizzing around the room, unseeing.

"What?" Harry asked, quickly, undeniably confused.

Death chose to elaborate, knowing full well that the Doctor probably couldn't.

"The Time Lady is attached to a machine that extracts a person's memories, but it is being used for a different reason, this time. Voldemort wanted to pull the Doctor's memories out of _her_ head, inevitably killing him through her. But she fought him. She altered the pull of memories, so that her own were the ones removed. The problem is, as she nears death, her strength fails, and the machine is now returning to complete its primary function. She cannot die, now, as she doesn't have the strength to continue removing her own memories, and the Doctor's are being pulled out, instead."

A hand flew to Harry's mouth, and he had to mentally shake himself to shift the horror from his mind. Instead, he glanced back to the Doctor, trying and failing to hide his fear.

"So the girl's okay, then?"

Death shook his head, the red eyes glinting with an unexpected look of sadness.

"No. Because of their link, once one dies, the other dies too. Her memories may not be extracted anymore, but as soon as _his_ have been removed through her, the residual energy will inevitably pull out her own last remaining memories. If she hadn't already exhausted her mind of most of her own in her attempts to save the Doctor, she may have survived. But as it is, she has not the strength any longer to save herself."

"Oh, my God," Harry murmured, horrified. "Well what can we do?" he demanded, an irrational anger bubbling beneath his skin as he stared off into space. "We _have_ to help them!"

But Death merely shook his head.

"It is too late for anything I could have done," he said, softly.

But that answer wasn't good enough.

Harry's eyes flew to his face, and the anger erupted like a volcano.

"_How the Hell can you say that_ ?!! You _knew_ this was going to happen! You _knew_ all along! Why didn't you warn the Doctor _sooner_ ?!"

Death held up his hands in surrender, glaring back equally hard.

"I _said_ that there is nothing more that _I_ can do. But then again, it isn't _me_ that matters, right now! I needed you to remain here so that the one person who could help the Doctor had time to arrive! I knew she was coming!"

"So … all of that stalling … that's all it was? You were _buying time_ ?!" Harry's eyes were narrowed slits. "I can't believe this. If he dies, it'll be on your head!" he shouted.

"Ahh," replied Death, grinning, "but that suggests he's going to die, doesn't it?"

Harry didn't know what to say. He glanced momentarily at the Doctor, who's eyes were jammed tightly shut as he struggled against the onslaught of pain. Sweat glistened against his white skin, the red marks of his injuries standing out with ghastly clarity.

"Okay then, so who's this person? Who's gonna help him?" he asked, finally, his voice shaking slightly.

Death didn't answer him.

Instead, his eyes glazed over, and his misted gaze lifted to the doorway of blackness behind Harry. The one through which he and the Doctor had arrived.

Curious, Harry looked up as well, turning on his knees slightly so he could see whatever it was that had caught Death's attention.

But one word made him stop, mid-movement.

"Me," said a soft, ethereal voice, its underlying tone being one Harry instantly recognised.

Not sure he really wanted to see who or _what_ was standing in the doorway, Harry turned around fully, stumbling slightly to his feet as his eyes widened beyond their limits. His jaw dropped at the sight.

Rose Tyler was standing beneath the archway.

A back-drop of intense, starless blackness provided an unimaginable contrast to the glowing gold of her eyes. Her long, blonde and flowing hair fluttered around her head, caught in an invisible wind.

Her features were illuminated, her face angelic.

But she wasn't Rose Tyler.

Not anymore.

* * *

**Oops. Evil cliffie, huh?**

**Sorry. (Grins evilly)**

**Another massive thanks for reading! You guys really are amazing!**

**Stuck with me? May my Goddess bless you eternally with much happiness, health and a whole lotta wealth. Maybe you'll have more luck with that prospect than I …?**

**Anywho, thanks again! I'll update again as soon as I can! Promise on pain of Death!**

**Huge hugs to all of ya!  
xXx MissHaunted MoonLight xXx**


	25. Reunions

**Thanksies to Shrink To Be, Lana Aurelius, paige-rossi-black and addictedtofantasy!**

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Hee hee, what's wrong with randomness? It's got me through fourteen years of full-time education. Rambling's good. Spontaneous, some may call it. YaY for spontaneity! Glad ya liked it! Here's an update!

**izzfrogger: **Thank you for reviewing again!

**LittleGinny15: **Thou art so incredibly enthusiastic! I do so _love_ to hear from you, m'dear! Another wonderful review that's motivated me to get this chapter up much sooner than I had expected. So many huge thank you's to you! Glad you liked it!

**Jennifer: **Thank you _so_ much! I'm so very happy you're enjoying this! Thanks for the lovely review! 

**150 reviews, dudes! You guys are so awesome!**

* * *

**Reunions**

"Oh, my God," Harry murmured, stumbling backwards a little as he stared on, dumbfounded.

One of his friends was standing stock-still behind him, once loving, chocolate-brown eyes now glowing bright with a golden fire that shone out from within her very skin. Her _soul_ had to have been gold, as did the blood that swam through her veins, alive as it was with its pulsing bullion hue.

"My Doctor needs me," she half-whispered, her eyes shining, _sparkling_ like dancing fireflies as she practically glided over to them.

"_What are you_?" Harry croaked, eyes so wide he wouldn't have been surprised if they popped right out of their sockets.

"I am the Bad Wolf," Rose replied, those golden orbs of hers brightening with every word she spoke. "I am here to restore peace."

"Fat chance of that," Harry muttered, glaring suddenly at Death, whose own gleamingly red eyes were focussed upon the ethereal being standing mere inches from him. "Can you help him?" he asked, turning back to Rose and nodding towards the Doctor, barely daring to even breathe.

The Bad Wolf nodded.

"Yes."

Harry nodded too and automatically jumped backwards, leaving Rose enough room to crouch beside their fallen friend. Death too appeared to be giving them a wide berth, as he stood to one side, apparently enraptured by the unfolding events playing out before him. Harry half-smirked at the look of pure amazement that was adorning the Great One's cloaked features, those scarlet eyes of his glittering with wonder and untameable excitement.

And both could only look on in astonishment, as Rose Tyler and the Doctor became One.

* * *

Rose could feel the TARDIS. She was burning within her mind.

Her head, _her very core_ … everything was burning. The Time Vortex was swirling and changing and gliding throughout her being with ease, as though it had always been there. As though it knew _exactly_ where to go.

Rose knew that the TARDIS was to join them. The insistent feeling within her head – the one that had been the TARDIS asking her to guide her to the Doctor - was all she needed to know that soon they would all be together again. After all, not one of them would _be_ if it weren't for the Doctor.

And Rose Tyler, the TARDIS and the Bad Wolf were all in agreement on that.

Which is why they had to save him.

So with Rose's permission, the TARDIS entered the dematerialisation phase.

It would be mere minutes before She resurfaced.

Rose wasn't worried for her. They were One, now. The Bad Wolf knew full well that the TARDIS would arrive safely.

And with that done, Rose could fully drag herself from the depths of the Time Vortex for a few precious seconds. Just long enough to realise the complete truth of what was happening around her.

Those flames … they were consuming her! They burned her inner soul, scorching, maiming, searing her as she blinked back tears of pain. Her head … God, it was _killing_ her! She _had_ to end this!

…

But all she could see was the Doctor.

Always the Doctor.

There he lay, motionless, defenceless, vulnerable.

Dying.

And ignoring the pain, pushing away her fears that if she let go now, the Bad Wolf would take over completely, Rose Tyler leant forwards, pressing her moist and trembling lips against the Doctor's shivering, half-parted ones.

In an expression of desperation.

In an expression of relief.

In an expression of love.

* * *

Voldemort's eyes were wider than saucers as he stared, gobsmacked, at Jack, as the late Captain struggled to his feet. 

"That's not possible," he spat, venomously, his tones low and clipped.

In reply, Jack Harkness - now fully stable and with a hatred blacker than the blackest night burning like fire within his veins – hopped about from foot to foot, waved his arms around in windmill style, cricked his neck once, slapped his knee, and then reached down for his gun and pointed it at the ceiling, letting a resonating _crack_! pierce the stillness as the shot burst forth.

Perfectly alive, then.

"You were saying?"

Voldemort's eyes were narrowed slits; even narrower than they had been to begin with, which was quite an achievement in itself.

Jack merely grinned, sparing a glance over his shoulder at the 'terrible twosome' and their adult counterparts. Neville, Luna, Tonks and Lupin were all beaming at him, smiles stretching right across the widths of their faces as they stared on with wonder.

"_But that's not possible_!" Voldemort hissed again, wand raised in preparation, but the curse refusing to fly forth from his lips. "_No-one_ could survive that!"

"Oh, really?" Luna called, quite cockily despite the feelings of bouncing fear that were eating away at her insides. "How's Harry still alive, then?"

Almost tactfully for once, Voldemort remained silent, instead glaring daggers at the medical miracle that was Captain Jack Harkness.

Who was half-smiling back, pocketing his gun once again after admitting that - in _this_ world - a bullet would do no good.

"Want to know a little secret?" he asked, taking a threatening step forwards, his eyes ablaze and his hands visibly shaking with rage. He stopped, the pair being almost nose-to-nose as they stared intently at one another, looks of pure hatred mirrored upon both ashen faces.

Leaning in a little, Jack flicked a speck of dust from Voldemort's arm sleeve and hissed into his ear, his words venom-laced and strong, "_I can't die_."

And with a laugh of triumph he jumped backwards, as the room suddenly echoed with a chorus of a thousand curses, and every single colour imaginable burst forth from the wands of the Order.

All heading straight for the Dark Lord.

* * *

A whirring, thrumming hum flickered into existence within the flame-lit cave, and the Bad Wolf smiled, pulling away from the Doctor's lips to stare in delight at the iridescent blue light fading into place just behind them. 

"She's here, Doctor," she whispered, her gold-specked eyes dancing with glee as she stared down at his unmoving form, _willing_ him to wake up. "It is time. The Universe needs you."

The noise was growing, the light flashing its warning with strengthened resolve, as the TARDIS flickered into and out of focus.

Fully convinced that the time had come, the Bad Wolf considered the vicious wounds that littered his once perfect body, her heart melting as she fully realised just how much pain dear Rose had caused him. Nodding in determination, she allowed herself to offer him one tiny, chaste kiss, before she sat back on her heels and authorized the Power of the TARDIS to flow into her completely. Feeling its delighted thrum beneath her fingertips strengthening by the second, the Bad Wolf granted the Doctor with but one look, the intensity of the goldness growing within her eyes, and as if by magic, the wounds began to stitch themselves together.

One by one.

Leaving nothing but flawless, smooth but ashen-white skin behind.

No blood. No abrasions, no wounds whatsoever. Nothing.

And as the TARDIS fully materialised, the Bad Wolf's ethereal smile of beauty widened incredibly.

For the Doctor was stirring.

* * *

Pain. 

Burning, searing, screaming pain.

Endless, timeless, surrounding.

Retreating away into himself, the Doctor shivered uncontrollably, as nine hundred year's worth of memories were plucked slowly and steadily from his mind.

But … _wait_ …

Where had that other pain gone? There had been an underlying sting … something to do with his body … something that had hurt like Hell but now no longer did.

Wait …

Those _wounds_ … they were gone …

He was healed.

_What the Hell_ ?!

Suddenly fully aware that his mind was on fire, and that apart from that he seemed to be in perfect health, the Doctor moaned slightly, half-gasping as memory after memory was plucked straight out of his head.

But the onslaught had diminished slightly.

Somehow … _amazingly_ … _he had time_.

Albeit very little, but it was still there, nonetheless.

Mentally screaming but biting down upon his tongue to stop it from escaping his swollen lips, the Doctor inhaled sharply, his eyes snapping open and darting about above him in unbridled desperation.

Until they focussed properly upon the person sitting directly beside him, legs now crossed as she smiled down at him warmly, her eyes glittering with knowledge _way_ beyond any human's limits.

The person who had, until mere minutes ago, been Rose Tyler.

And his hearts stopped, the throbbing inside his head suddenly seeming like a walk in the park when compared with the awful truth that was biting away at him now.

The Bad Wolf was back.

* * *

Half regretting the fact that he was about to miss out on an immense amount of action but knowing full well that he had a much more urgent matter to attend to, Jack hurried as inconspicuously as he could to the still wide open door. 

While Voldemort and his newly summoned cronies were preoccupied with the Order's attack, he needed to find Teri.

And fast.

"Right, cellar," he murmured to himself, whipping out his gun as he all but glided down the first staircase and pegged it through a blackened corridor, his heart racing and the blood pounding in his ears.

The thrill of the chase was such a wonderful feeling, as was the adrenaline pumping itself around his body in place of the oxygen that he more than probably needed instead.

_Ahh, what the Hell? You only live once, right_?

Face set, the butterflies flying around with renewed vigour in the pit of his stomach, Jack practically _flew_ down the next staircase, stumbling to a halt as he neared the bottom and leaving his arm outstretched, aim steady as he inched towards the wall and hid himself in the shadows.

His steps were echoing a little, but then walking upon a stone floor made it near on impossible to avoid that. So he focussed on making those echoing steps as quiet as possible.

Three more steps.

Just two more!

Last one!

_Bang_!

Peering around the corridor and spotting the bleeding lump that was a black-robed and black-hooded figure, Jack was relieved to see that _that_ shot had actually worked. So perhaps it was only in Voldemort's presence that the bullets wouldn't fire. Odd, that, but then this entire_ planet_ was odd, period.

And judging by the guy's presence down here, being the only guy around when the rest of Voldemort's right hand men were fighting for – and losing – their lives upstairs, he was quite obviously guarding something.

Or some_one_.

Teri.

A half-smile illuminating his exhausted features, Jack shuffled slowly forwards, taking great care to stand on the guard's legs as he passed.

Stopping beside the now perfectly unprotected door, Jack held his breath and tentatively kicked out at it, sending the wooden entrance flying wide open. Letting out that breath, he gripped onto his gun with two hands, and threw himself into the chamber, arms raised and eyes wide.

And as he took in the metal table standing mock-majestically before him, as he considered the quite evidently 'alien' machinery that littered the room, as he focussed intently upon the motionless being slumped against the steel counter, attached to wire after wire after wire, Jack's jaw dropped in horror.

And the gun slipped easily from his grasp as he shot forwards, a haunted desperation shocking him into action.

* * *

There was a clatter from within the blackness, and Harry's gaze lifted quickly, his fingers tightening around the wand in his hand, but he soon relaxed the hold as six people practically fell into Death's quarters, all squealing with delight and three of them running over and flinging arms around his neck. 

"_Harry_!"

Harry's eyes widened in relief, and he grinned, his face stretching with delight as Ginny, Ron and Hermione all struggled to hug him hardest, none of them caring that their friend was pretty close to being suffocated.

"Oh, my God, I'm _so glad_ you're alright!" Ginny half-sobbed, laughing with relief.

The Twins had run over too, and both were now patting him jovially on the back, but only when Harry managed to gasp out, "choking … not breathing … not … _good_!" did his friends let him go. The Master hung back, standing beside the 'doorway', his gaze locked upon the Doctor who was now struggling up into a sitting position, his own eyes riveted to his companion.

Ginny had tears within her eyes as she reached up and kissed him, leaving Ron to turn away with an uncomfortable look upon his face. He shared a look with the Twins, who were both sniggering behind their hands, and glanced across to Hermione who seemed quite over the moon with the display of affection.

Pulling back a little, Harry let Ginny's hand slip comfortably into his and moved to stand beside Ron and Hermione, who were staring intently at him, smiling with admiration.

"You alright, Herms?" Harry asked, his tone serious.

Hermione nodded.

"Perfect. That cure worked wonders!" She paused, frowning, and then nodded towards the Being of Darkness stood mere feet from them, staring in wonder at the strange Blue Box now standing stock still beside him. "Glad you are, too. Did you find out everything you needed?"

Harry nodded back, sparing Death a glance before focussing once again upon the Doctor and Rose.

"RAB was Regulus Black. He _did_ destroy that locket. And Wormtail's killed Nagini."

As he'd expected, the stunned silence that greeted his words was so thick it could probably have been sliced through. He glanced back again to see that Ron's eyes were as wide as saucers, and Hermione seemed to be momentarily lost for words.

"Sirius'_ brother_ ?!" Ron shrieked, shaking his head in denial.

Harry nodded glumly, crushing it.

"Yeah. Odd, isn't it? _Two_ of his most faithful followers have aided in his downfall. Couldn't quite believe it myself, till I saw just how much fun Death was having when he told me. There's just something about him … just this _look_ in his eyes, and you _know_ that he's telling the truth."

"That's all backwards, that is," Ron agreed, staring off with a glazed expression upon his face. Hermione however, was staring at Harry, having recovered from the shock of discovery already, her eyes betraying her comfortable stance as she struggled to read his features for any sign of an answer to her next question.

"And the _last_ Horcrux?" she asked breathlessly, her heart jumping up and constricting her throat.

Quite to the contrary though, Harry's heart dropped instead.

"Oh, _damnit_!" he spat, shaking his head and slapping himself on the forehead with quite unnecessary force. "I forgot to ask! We just got so caught-up, what with the Doctor discovering that he _isn't _ the last Time Lord, anymore."

"Well I'd find out if I were you. Just one more and Voldemort's gonna be in _big_ trouble," Ginny whispered, still staring at the Doctor as he struggled to his feet.

But Hermione had lost focus upon the conversation the moment Harry mentioned the Doctor.

"_Not the Last_ –?"

Harry shook his head before she could finish.

"That girl … the one from his story, the one who escaped to the TARDIS with him. She survived."

Silence. Even the Twins were speechless.

Hermione stared down at the Doctor's unmoving form, her eyes bright with unshed tears.

"But … _how_ ?! He was _so adamant_! He _swore_ he'd know if there'd been anyone else! I mean, I know why the Master's here – he was taken from a time _way _before the Time War so he doesn't count, but –"

"_What_ ?!"

Everyone jumped.

It was the Doctor. His voice sounded so strained, his pain-racked expression simply refused to lift itself from Rose's glowing features, but his attention had been thrown a line, nonetheless.

Hermione squeaked and shot forwards, the Master shuffling in a little closer to stand behind her.

"Voldemort summoned him. I think he's summoned _everyone_," she murmured, unsure of what to make of Rose's glowing eyes. Even _now_, the pair refused to tear away their gazes.

Feeling he ought to aid in the clearing of his name, the Master finally spoke.

"Indeed. I was brought here to assist in your capture. Only … well, when I realised what Voldemort was after, I changed my mind. I want to work _with_ you on this one. He needs to be stopped."

The Doctor, surprisingly, said nothing.

Simply sat there.

Staring.

Always staring …

"My memories," he murmured, more to himself. "Voldemort must have realised that I've been interfering with his plans … he's dragged creatures from my past to try to stop me."

Death nodded, confirming the theory in the hopes that the Doctor might soon snap out of it and realise just how little time they had left.

"Yes. A new piece of technology, I believe. He's connected it to the machine that draws out your memories, and it somehow _pulls_ those memories in, gives them life. Makes them real."

"And he's got to them through _her_."

"The Time Lady," Harry offered, elaborating when he spotted the many blank stares around him.

Again, Death nodded, feeling a little frustrated by the Doctor's continuously vacant expression.

_Only Rose_.

The Bad Wolf was strangely silent too, blinking innocently up at the Doctor as they both sat there, simply staring, identical looks of mild relief, mild horror and mild amazement adorning their faces.

"What's happened to her?" Ron whispered, nudging Harry in the ribs and nodding towards the pair. Harry shrugged, faintly mesmerised by the two people who seemed quite oblivious to the reunions happening around them.

"Dunno, she just came in like that. S'like she's possessed, or something."

"She pegged it, y'know. Words flared up on Hermione's arm back out there in the darkness, and then Rose … she just … _lost it_, started running, we only just managed to follow her."

"What words? Is she alright?" Harry gasped, blinking and staring at Hermione, who was still kneeling beside the Doctor and Rose.

"Yeah, they've healed now. Nocens Lupus, or something. It was weird, they sorta … flared up and then just … _vanished_!"

"Well whatever they were, they obviously meant something to Rose."

Ron and Ginny both nodded, and the room fell silent, everyone watching the Doctor and Rose.

All silently waiting.

* * *

He was wasting time, he realised. 

The thumping inside his head was getting stronger, his strength was diminishing, and with everyone around him, the time had come.

And everything made sense, now.

Voldemort was responsible – in _every_ way possible. He'd kidnapped one of his own kind. He'd _somehow_ managed to get a hold on inhuman machinery and was using _that _to draw out his memories … _her _memories …

He was using his machinery, his _magic_ to pull in creatures from outer space through the girl's memories of her travels. Every alien she'd ever encountered … all working for _him_!

He was _using_ her! Using her to build up an army!

And the Doctor had been the test-drive.

Voldemort had tested his machinery to the max; he'd pulled the Doctor's memories of Alien creatures out through the girl's head like air. Such a quick and easy process. Painless to everyone but _them._

Proving that his machine worked. Proving that he could summon creatures from beyond the stars to his side in a heart-beat.

For the Doctor knew, now.

That machine … the girl's involvement … it all made sense.

Voldemort wanted the memories of a Time Traveller.

An Army of Aliens.

…

And the Time Lady had called to _him_ for help. A distress call. The Doctor … well, he was her last chance.

Which made the limited time he had left seem remarkably insignificant.

_He was wasting time, damnit_!

Finally blinking his mind clear, the Doctor stared intently at his companion. His aching head was screaming at him, but he ignored it. _Only she _mattered, now!

"_Rose_ …" he whispered, at last, voice hoarse and faint. His hands were trembling, both from the effort it took to remain conscious and the realisation of just _what_ Rose had become.

And _Why_.

Rose was the Bad Wolf.

And she'd done it for _him_.

"Doctor," Rose replied, her voice angelic, her eyes shining. "You must hurry. I've healed your wounds, but the Time Lady awaits. Without saving her, the memories will continue to leave you. I cannot do anything about that."

"_Rose_ … please, you're not! You're _not _the Bad Wolf! Not again!"

But the Bad Wolf simply shook Rose's head, placing a consoling hand upon the Doctor's ice-cold cheek and staring imploringly into his wild eyes.

"Please, Doctor, there is no time. The whole of Time and Space is at risk! Tom Riddle must be stopped, and the balance must be restored. The TARDIS is prepared; I have already given her the co-ordinates. But you must hurry! Mere _minutes_ are spared to you."

The Doctor gaped, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Then he scrambled to his feet, swaying a little but stabilising before he could hit the ground again, a tiny ghost of a smile niggling at the corners of his lips as he held his hand out to the Bad Wolf.

"Can you do it? Can you let go?" he asked her hurriedly, turning Rose around so that she was facing the TARDIS head-on.

Rose beamed at him, and nodded.

"I can, Doctor. I can this time."

Grinning, the Doctor took a step backwards, and signalled for Hermione to do the same. Nodding, she jumped to her feet and ran to stand beside Ron, her hand sliding easily into his.

Seconds passed.

And the room fell silent.

The Doctor, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, the Master and Death all stood, all silent, all watching in amazement as, a moment later, Rose's golden glow became blindingly bright.

The blackness of the outer cave, the dimmed light filtering out from the roaring fire … it was all suddenly overwhelmed by golden brightness.

Everyone but the Doctor had to shield their eyes.

But in comparison, _his_ widened. He stared with immense relief as tendrils of gold began to streak out from Rose's eyes, through her half-parted lips, through her very _skin_, and glided smoothly back through the slightly-open door of the newly materialised TARDIS.

Moments later the vividness dimmed and the light returned to normal. Within seconds, he'd bolted forwards, catching Rose Tyler swiftly before she could hit the floor. He gazed down at her, his breath catching in his throat, his hearts twitching and a faint hint of fear clawing away at his soul, but he ignored it.

She'd be fine!

…

He hoped …

The Twins hurried forwards to help, each securing an arm around her waist as the Doctor stepped away, ushering everyone else bar Death himself into his TARDIS. The Master shot him a bemused look, which the Doctor promptly returned with a curt nod, before shrugging and following Ron and Hermione out of sight. The Twins helped to support the unconscious nineteen year old over the threshold as well, followed closely by Ginny.

Leaving Harry and the Doctor with the infamous Lord of the Underworld.

"Thank you," the Doctor said, genuine gratitude easily traceable behind his words. Death merely nodded in return.

"Voldemort is a threat to _both_ of our worlds, Doctor. He _must_ be stopped. No matter what."

The Doctor nodded, his eyes wide.

"I'll be back when this is all over," he continued. "You've had to sacrifice a lot, making this alliance. Your food-stock's about to fall drastically. But I may … _possibly_ have a solution for you. A means of obtaining magic _without_ kidnapping witches and wizards from the Land Above."

Death's eyes widened beneath the cloak, and Harry was quite sure he was shooting the Doctor a look of sheer scepticism.

"I do hope so, Doctor, because without Slaves down here, we're out of Magic. And without Magic, that 'balance' that your young friend mentioned will be completely thrown haywire."

The Doctor half-smiled.

"Well, it's a good job I've got an idea then, isn't it?"

And with that, he patted Harry sharply on the shoulder and stepped away, striding purposefully towards his TARDIS.

Harry merely nodded once at the Demon before following him.

But his attention was caught one final time before he could step inside himself. The Doctor had stopped too, a hand on the doorframe as he glanced back, ears pricked and head throbbing, but curiosity alive beneath his veins.

"Oh, and Harry?" Death asked, half-grinning, an innocent gleam burning within his scarlet eyes. He paused, examining the long nails of his clawed fingers in amiable fashion as he leant against the hearth, perfectly cool and collected, once again. "Did you not want to know what the final Horcrux was?"

Harry stared, heart racing.

"Yes," he replied, taking a small step forwards, eyes wide and staring.

Death paused again, dragging out the spiralling silence for a few moments, before dropping the analysis of his claw-nails to point directly at Harry's heart.

"You."

* * *

Voldemort stepped backwards, ducking away from a flying green light and allowing it to whizz straight over his head. 

Crouching down behind a plinth, he stared down at the floor as though he could see through it and pointed his wand downwards, aiming directly at the machine hidden two floors below. With a murmured command, he flicked it and jumped back to his feet, watching as the last of his Death Eaters struggled against the rebellious witches and wizards of the Order of the Phoenix.

And he laughed.

Unnerved by the ringing sound, all fighting suddenly stopped, allowing Voldemort to step out into the centre of the room, wands raised on all sides but no spells flying his way, anymore.

"This world will fall," he declared, smiling his lop-sided smirk as he stared around, taking in Lupin's cut lip and black eye, the blonde girl's clearly broken arm, and the Longbottom child's swollen ankle.

Fallen bodies smouldered around him. The acrid smell of burning flesh filtered into his nostrils.

Quite sadistically, he breathed it in, savouring the smell of victory.

"This world will fall," he repeated, grinning evilly, "starting with you. Welcome, my friends!" he called, mock-warmly, spreading his arms wide. "Welcome to the Future! And welcome to the End!"

And the room fell deathly silent, as a grating, squeaking sound flitted through the now wide open doorway. The sound of something moving towards them.

A shrill, high-pitched war cry broke the stunned stillness as creatures beyond Mother Earth's creation glided one after another into the Chamber.

Huge, golden metal creatures with a glowing blue eye-piece, and two gun-like arms that were extended and pointing at the rooms' frozen occupants.

Voldemort merely stood there, laughing manically, red eyes burning with glee as the creatures rolled in one after another after another, circling around behind the many motionless beings.

Trapping them in.

And a hundred human screams were drowned out by the echoing cries of "_Exterminate_!" that reverberated off the walls.

* * *

"No …" 

If the Doctor hadn't managed to run to his side in time, Harry's legs would surely have sent him tumbling to the ground in horror. As it was, he soon found himself supported by his friend's pinstriped arms. For which he was unfathomably grateful.

Eyes wide, head shaking desperately in denial, Harry felt his heart stop beneath his ribcage as Death's nod of affirmation floated before him.

That nod …

It was all he could see …

"Harry? Come on, we've got to go!"

Words … all vague and distant and distorted … words of authority, he assumed.

But they didn't make sense to him.

The only word that _did_ make sense was … '_You!_'

Blindly, Harry allowed himself to be steered away, shooting Death one final glance before the comforting hum of the TARDIS overrode his misshapen senses.

The Weasley's and Hermione were smiling at him. The Master was considering his features with a faint hint of admiration glittering within his eyes – an admiration that appeared to exist beyond the Master's wishes. Young Rose Tyler was still out cold beside the console … but …

Everyone else … smiling … _beaming_ at him … all brimmed with confidence and pride. All sure as Hell that he was about to save them. That he was about to save _everyone_.

But … he couldn't be … _he couldn't be_! Damnit, it wasn't possible! How was he supposed to save the planet when he'd have to kill himself in the process ?!

Suddenly, the End seemed to be scarily close. Harry could only bite back the tears and let his hand fasten itself unbearably hard around the fake locket in his pocket.

Smiles shone out around him.

But he couldn't return them.

"_Oh, and Harry? Did you not want to know what the final Horcrux was?"_

"_Yes."_

"_You."_

* * *

The Doctor stared intently at the Leader of the Underworld, his eyes narrowed and his mind quite obviously burning. 

"Are you serious?" was all he could ask, tone so low that Death almost missed it.

"Yes."

The Doctor sighed, dragging a trembling hand through his auburn locks and stumbling slightly backwards, sparing Death a short glance and a tiny nod before vanishing inside his spaceship.

As that faint, whirring thrum started up, and the strange light sitting proudly atop the odd Blue Police Box flashed out of existence, Death sighed heavily and threw himself down onto his black leather sofa.

The faintest of faint murmurs managed to escape his lips before he could drag it back, only for it to be eaten up by silence, once more.

"Good luck."

And with a click of his fingers, the darkness grew absolute.

* * *

**Once again, many thanksies to all of you! Please leave me a review!**

**Much love and fuzzy hugsies,  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	26. Hellbound

**Thanksies to Lady Eivel, Tai Greywing (for **_**both**_** of your wonderful reviews), and addictedtofantasy!**

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Thanksies! And you _should_ join up! After so many amazing reviews from you, I'm dying to return the favour! ;P Here's your update, and I should have one up for 'Window to the Past' in a few days as well, depending on how my Revision goes. xXxXx

**izzfrogger: **(Blush) Thanks _so_ much! I'm honoured! Mega hugs for you!

**LittleGinny15: **Hahaha, thought you might! Thanks for another _… energetic_ … review … (grins)

**A/N: Toughie to write, this one. So one can only apologise profusely if it's not as … **_**good**_** … as the rest of them in any way. A thousand sorries! Revision sucks!**

* * *

**Hellbound**

Jack's mind was racing.

Those creatures … those _Daleks_! God, he'd just escaped from them, fought alongside his comrades _against _them mere _weeks_ ago on Satellite Five, and now they were _back_? Didn't they _ever_ die?

Once he was certain that every single Dalek had left the Chamber, once he was damn sure that he and Teri were the only people to be found down there, he emerged from behind the whirring machines and shot forward, one eye still focussed on the doorway in case they decided to return.

That _had _to have been the _weirdest_ thing he'd ever seen …

There was Teri, tossing fitfully but otherwise motionless, hooked up to monitors and machines. Jack had hurried to her side, one hand unconsciously reaching out for hers, and mere seconds had passed before the whirring machines suddenly increase in pitch. Jack had only just managed to find cover in time before a loud _zapping_ noise had infiltrated the otherwise silent room.

And then there they all were, materialising out of _thin air_ right in front of the large and humming machine.

And there … on the screen … the only thing to indicate their presence was a small, unfocussed image of a Dalek.

Whatever the Hell these machines were, they weren't for anything good.

Because _this one_ had just created a Dalek - a real, lively, moving, shooting _Dalek_ - from nothing but a vaguely visible image. How was that even _possible_?

Sighing heavily, knowing full well that things would be nought but hectic chaos two floors above him, Jack forcefully shook his head and focussed upon Teri.

"Teri?" he half-whispered, shaking her shoulder a little.

Nothing.

She didn't even bat an eyelid.

"Right," he all but spat, letting her hand drop onto the table again and sprinting to her other side as he made for the medley of wires.

Skidding to a halt beside the strange machine, he reached out for one of the largest buttons and depressed it, praying to God that it would work. That _something_ would happen.

Well, something_ did_ happen.

But it wasn't anything he'd wanted.

With a cry of pain, he clutched his throbbing hand and sucked on a stinging finger, the shock fizzing away up his arm before fading out of existence.

Great.

So he couldn't even switch the bloody thing off! Just great!

With an echoing cry of intense frustration, Jack threw himself onto the ground beside it and smacked it with his aching hand, before wincing at his own stupidity as the slap backfired and caused great discomfort for him without so much as scratching the contraption.

Turning his back on it and leaning against it instead, his head hitting the cool metal and his eyes sliding shut, Jack was greatly considering leaving Teri where she lay and heading back upstairs to aid with the fight. It wasn't like he could turn the stupid thing off, and those shackles about her wrists were impossible to remove …

So fighting would be the next best thing, right?

… …

But he never even made it to his feet.

For a gust of wind was soon flying haphazardly around the room, accompanied by a whizzing thrum of alien engines that drowned out even the incessant buzzing coming from the metallic monsters behind him.

A flashing light was illuminating the blackness beneath his eyelids, and the ground was vibrating underneath him as a great weight faded into - and out of - existence.

Jack's eyes flying wide with astonishment, wonder and delight, his heart beating dangerously painfully beneath his ribs, he stumbled to his feet, jaw wide open and a tiny smile snaking a tentative path onto his face.

For there stood the TARDIS. As magnificently amazing, as strangely unorthodox, as _Doctorish_ as ever.

The whirring stopped. The strange winds faded. The light ceased its incessant and warning flashing.

And silence fell.

The image of a big-eared, big-nosed, leather-jacketed someone stepping out of those blue doors - with a young and thriving cockney kid bouncing out after him - had a laugh of pure glee escaping Jack's blocked-up throat.

But as the doors finally flew wide, after so many weeks of hoping, of _praying_ for their return, Jack's delight and amazement soon turned to horrific disappointment.

For the strange man in the long, brown trench coat who emerged from the TARDIS' fathomless depths accompanied by six anxious teens, was most certainly _not_ the Doctor.

For a long moment, there was a stunned silence.

The mysterious man was staring at Jack with wide eyes of disbelief, pain flickering deep within them before he could cover it up.

The teenagers were considering him too, all staring at him with open curiosity, eyes darting from him to Teri to the newcomer.

Who finally found voice enough to break the awkward stillness.

Stepping over the threshold of his Time Ship, shivering violently and whiter than the whitest sheet, the strange man extended a trembling hand towards Jack, who took an anxious step backwards only to find he'd been trapped in by all of the creepy technology.

Unable to move, Jack couldn't avoid the man's shuddering hand as it secured itself firmly onto his shoulder. Gazing into those timeless auburn orbs as they locked eyes upon each other, Jack felt the man's warm breath hit his face as he finally spoke, tones rich and quite similar to Rose Tyler's.

Such simple words.

Something the Doctor would have said …

And Jack's eyes widened in disbelief as a crazily impossible idea flitted into his head.

"Oh. My. God ... _Jack_!"

* * *

"_Wait_!" 

A deathly silent muteness fell like a smothering veil over the Chamber, and whimpers and war cries alike were cut short.

As the stillness peaked, the faintest of faint sounds could be heard, filtering up from the cellar.

A soft, whirring, grating sound …

A hesitant wind sparked momentarily into life around the room, but faded away just as quickly.

With a faint squeaking sound, Dalek after Dalek turned as one to stare at Voldemort, who was standing in the centre of the room with arms thrown wide and a look of pure delight glittering within his scarlet orbs.

"This isn't right," he murmured, more to himself than to his entourage as the last tendrils of wind blew from existence. "I know a few Very Important People who are absent from the proceedings. And I know they'd _hate_ to miss this."

With a small nod, Voldemort whipped out his wand and pointed it at the Dalek standing feet behind him.

"You will wait. Hold these prisoners here all you like, but do _not_ kill them. Not yet. I believe my _guests_ have just arrived."

And with that, he practically flew from the Chamber, black cloak billowing out behind him as though caught in the now non-existent breeze.

Distracted as the room's occupants were by the presence of a hundred metallic creatures with suckers and blasters for hands, nobody noticed four wizards disappear from sight with a flick of their cloaks, sparing one another a curt nod of affirmation before turning on their heels and vanishing into the ether.

Perhaps the strangest thing of all … ignoring the smouldering bodies and the terrified Order members, ignoring the practically destroyed Great Hall that had once been majestic in its own disturbed and creepy way, ignoring the fact that four Order members – two of which were still kids – had just apparated from a guarded room without arousing any such suspicion … perhaps the _strangest thing _was the fact that the Daleks had actually _obeyed_ him…

* * *

Neville grinned at Luna as she reappeared beside him, sharing a beam of self-appraisal with Lupin as he reached out for Tonk's hand. Wiping a careless hand down the length of his robes, he whipped out his wand once again and the tell-tale whoosh of fluttering fabric told him the others had done the same. 

"Where do we go?" he asked, tones low and hurried as he stared at the corridor before him, knowing that Jack and Teri had to be in the room just ahead of them.

And knowing that Voldemort would be upon them any second as he made his way down here.

Lupin frowned, hesitantly staring at the corridor behind him, then glancing almost wistfully at the door ahead of them.

"Well …" he started, but soon fell silent again. With a shrug of the shoulders, he looked at Tonks, who too was staring at the partially open door, her eyes flitting over the dead body of some nameless, faceless Death Eater sprawling just in front of it. As though he'd been guarding something when he was struck down.

Guarding that room.

"I dunno," he went on, sighing and doubling his grip on his wand. "We can either run in there and warn them, whoever may be in there, or we can wait here and try to keep Voldemort from getting in."

"Or we could warn McGonagall," Tonks put in, tearing her gaze from the Death Eater to stare at Lupin with wide eyes.

Lupin half-nodded.

"Tonks, you should do that. Alert the school, tell McGonagall to call all Order members back. They can apparate out of there – those … _creatures_ didn't look as though they were exactly there to stop us, did they? They didn't even _try_! It seems they take orders from Voldemort only, and he's not around to _give_ them orders."

Tonks nodded, sparing Neville and Luna a small, pained smile before relinquishing the grip on her wand and replacing it within her pocket.

"Right," she murmured.

"Oh, and you'd better tell her that we think Harry and the Doctor have arrived," Lupin added, anxiously.

"What makes you say that?" Neville asked, eyebrows raised as he considered his once-teacher thoughtfully.

Lupin shrugged again.

"Well, just something Voldemort said about there being VIPs missing. I'm guessing he meant Harry and the Doctor, and since he's heading this way as we speak, they're probably in there." He jabbed a thumb at the half-open doorway and grimaced, eyes falling on the motionless corpse in front of it and a shudder attacking his spine.

"And so is Jack, if that body is anything to go by."

Tonks nodded again, released a tiny sigh, and turned on her heel once more. With a faint _whoosh_! she apparated away, the rustling of her cloak vanishing from reality.

"And what about us?" Luna asked, frowning deeply as she considered Lupin through wide, staring eyes.

Lupin shot her a nervous grin.

"Well, we fight," he replied, straightening his aim and shrinking away into the shadows of the corridor.

Waiting.

Neville and Luna shared an excited grin, and as one, they imitated him.

And even now, all three could hear the tell-tale sounds of quick-moving boots from the floor above.

Voldemort was fast approaching.

* * *

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Jack asked carefully, eyes flickering towards the immobile form of his unconscious friend before he focussed fully upon the newcomer. 

This _couldn't_ be him … _surely_ not …

"I should hope so," the man murmured, eyes wide and staring.

But he was soon distracted.

With a gasp of pain, Jack watched in fascination as a hand shot to the man's head and he stumbled backwards, gripping at his hair in abject desperation.

"Doctor, there's no time for this!" Jack heard one of the man's accomplices say; a young lass with long, frizzy locks and fearfully beautiful brown eyes that were currently wide and staring at him with immense concern.

But Jack's attention was momentarily diverted by her comment.

His cool and collected façade dropping like a tonne of bricks, Jack felt damn sure his legs were about to give way.

Shaking his head as a dog would to rid its ears of water, he ignored the chill that was seeping its way into his bloodstream and stepped towards her, eyes wide, disbelieving.

_This couldn't be him_!

"Wait, _what_ did you just call him?" he whispered, pointing a trembling hand at the girl, who stared uncomfortably back for a moment before turning to stare at the stranger instead.

"Um …" she faltered, blushing. Sensing discomfort on the girl's part, Jack watched a young man with flaming red hair step up behind her and reach out for her hand. She took it gratefully and gave it a nervous squeeze, all the while considering Jack through almost apologetic eyes.

"Never mind who _he_ is, who the Hell are _you_?" one of two twins asked, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Much to Jack's surprise, both twins had hair identical to the lad's. Brothers, perhaps? And with a sister too, if the other girl's burning locks were anything to go by.

"Captain Jack Harkness," he replied, eyes flitting over all six of the teens before reverting back to their companion. "Care to return the favour?"

A fourth boy stepped towards him then, one with raven-dark hair and intensely bright green eyes that gleamed with faint amusement from behind a pair of round glasses. Just below his scruffy fringe Jack spotted a small lightning-shaped mark glistening against the boy's pale skin.

Jack restrained a gasp with difficulty. This kid's very _essence_ screamed power … as did the stranger's. Whoever these guys were, they were an unmatchable team …

Yet Jack's denial was the only thing keeping him from the truth. Yes, the newcomer was _indeed_ powerful. Because Jack _knew_ him …

'No_, damnit, that _can't _be him! No way!_'

After a few moments, the boy spoke and Jack covered up a jump by taking a step towards him.

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter," the boy said, stretching a hand out to shake Jack's. Jack took it, and a genuine smile of delight broke out across his face.

"_Oh_!" he sighed with relief, grinning broadly. "Wow, about bloody time, then!"

"Excuse me?" the red-haired girl asked, somewhat sharply, eyebrows raised. Jack beamed at them.

"There's a search party here, and I believe they're lookin' for _you_. Guy called Lupin, a gall called Tonks and two teens named Neville and Luna. Would it be out of place of me to say that Luna's a bit … well, _loony_?" he asked, smirk widening.

Much to his relief, smiles illuminated the group's faces, and the ice was successfully broken. The red-haired boy standing with the brunette grinned cheekily back, scratching absentmindedly at the back of his head.

"Yup, off her head, she is. But we love her anyway."

Jack grinned, but it soon fell into oblivion as a faint moan of pain reached his ears. He glanced up to see the stranger leaning against the TARDIS doors, eyes watering as he struggled against an invisible onslaught.

'_No, no he _can't _be …_' Jack thought yet again, his heart racing. '_He _can't_ be the Doctor! She was _lying,_ that's all! Maybe he's a real doctor … maybe he just likes the title when in fact he has a real name that follows it…_'

But his thoughts were cut short by a harsh, biting question from the raven-haired teenager.

"Wait, _search party_?" Harry demanded of him, eyes wide.

As Jack nodded vaguely, he was quite surprised to see the look of horror and fear break out across Harry's face.

"What, is that not a good thing?" he asked, slightly tactlessly. Harry said nothing, staring blankly at the door, a shudder creeping up his spine.

"Where are we?" he asked, quietly.

In reply, Jack half-shrugged.

"Some crazy guy's hideout, I believe. Calls himself _Voldemort_." He spat the name venomously, and Harry half-smiled.

"Thought so," Harry muttered, and without further ado, his wand was out and pointing at the doorway. Almost as if it had been some kind of secret code, the five teens behind him pulled out their wands too, and the atmosphere was suddenly stiflingly thick with built up tension.

"But really," he tried, trying to fight away the underlying layers of doubt. Turning to stare at the stranger, eyes wide and pleading, Jack refused to let his gaze falter for so long that the man could avoid his penetrating glare no longer. "Who _are_ you?"

Frowning, the stranger forced himself to release the death-grip upon his fevered locks and took those few necessary steps forwards, until they were almost nose to nose.

"I _am_ the Doctor, Jack," he replied, voice laced with pain but otherwise unwavering.

Jack half-grinned.

"Nah," he murmured, more to stave off the inevitability of the situation, rather than because he actually _didn't _believe him. "It's not possible."

But the stranger was staring at him with desperation now. A look so reminiscent of the Doctor … a look that told of centuries' worth of amassed knowledge … a look that said this guy had the weight of the entire world upon his shoulders … and Jack simply couldn't ignore the blatant truth any more.

"Jack, just trust me. _It really is me_."

And with a cry of pain fluttering from his parted lips, he stumbled backwards, eyes jammed tightly shut and balance wavering.

"Oh my God," Jack murmured, dashing forwards before the Doctor could hit the ground. One look at the failing form was all it took.

Just one look.

And he could finally accept the truth.

"You really _are_ …"

"Jack, I don't have time for this!" the Doctor cried through clench teeth, tugging almost painfully at Jack's shoulders as he struggled and failed to right himself once again.

Jack half-nodded, mouth agape and eyes damn near close to jumping from their sockets.

"S-sure," he stammered, a nervous laugh escaping his lips as he strengthened both his resolve and his grip on the Doctor.

With little more than sheer willpower, the Doctor managed a curt nod and forced himself to bear his own weight. Swaying slightly on the spot, he let a trembling hand run over his face for a moment before he reached into a pocket and withdrew the Sonic Screwdriver, eyes narrowed as he struggled to focus on the wheezing pieces of machinery around them.

"How long, Harry?" he asked, voice hoarse and pain-racked.

Harry half-shrugged.

"Minutes?" he suggested, still staring raptly at the doorway. "He _must_ already know we've arrived, so he's gotta be on his way down here as we speak."

With a small nod that Harry completely missed anyway, the Doctor forced every other thought from his mind and began working hurriedly at the machines, completely avoiding _looking_ at the young girl lying motionless on the table beside him for fear of his resolve crumbling to dust before he could save her.

_If_ he could save her …

Oh, _God_ … she was a _Time Lady_! This _couldn't_ be happening!

… …

With a firm but alien curse that the TARDIS chose not to translate – but which still received a few raised eyebrows from his companions – the Doctor had to forcefully beg his eyes to remain focussed upon the apparatus, rather than upon the unconscious girl.

And speaking of girls …

"Where's Rose?" Jack asked carefully, still completely thrown by the Doctor's new face and yet hiding his amazement rather well in light of the seriousness of the situation.

There would be time to freak out later, after all.

The whirring buzz of the Sonic stuttered to a halt, and the contraption very nearly fell from its owner's grasp as he turned to stare at Jack with sad, imploring eyes.

"Inside the TARDIS," he replied quietly, nodding towards the blue police box and sighing.

Jack made to enter it, but the Doctor called him back.

"Um, I _wouldn't_ if I were you. She needs to rest."

Jack felt his heart stop, his breath catching in his throat as he turned to stare at who he was fast accepting as being the Doctor. Only _he_ could make such a simple 'rescue-Teri-and-run' mission become an 'ultimate bomb-shell' moment.

"Why? What's wrong?" he asked suspiciously. "Is she alright?" The Doctor sighed heavily, but said nothing, instead returning to his frantic sabotage mission with renewed vigour.

A hurried glance around the entourage of adolescent faces was enough to convince Jack that something was, indeed, quite wrong.

"She's not … ?"

He couldn't bring himself to say it.

Much to his relief, six simultaneous shakes of the head quenched _those_ fears straight off.

"Okay … well, _what_ then?"

Harry stepped forwards, sighing.

"She's … sleeping. I think," he added, doubling the grip on his wand as his eyes darted to the doorway and back. "We reckon she used up a bit too much energy trying to save the Doctor."

Jack blinked and stared around at the Time Lord with raised eyebrows.

Leaning in slightly, so as to keep the man in question from overhearing, he frowned and whispered, "saved him _how_? He ain't lookin' so good from where I'm standing."

And as if to prove his point, the Doctor paused in his desperate movements and placed a hand to his head, gritting his teeth and restraining a groan before composing himself and continuing.

"Well, when a guy's having his memories sucked right out of his head, I don't reckon he _would_ be looking his best," the third red-headed boy replied, staring sadly at the trench-coat-clad Time Lord through pitying eyes.

"He's _what_?" Jack demanded, expression horrified. "_Oh my God_!"

The melancholy faces around him spoke volumes.

So the kid wasn't lying, then.

Sparing the Doctor a tiny glance before blinking back his inhibitions, Jack thought it best to act as normal as possible while the Doctor focussed whatever strengths he had left to freeing their mutual friend.

"So erm, who are you then? You never said."

The four red-heads stepped forwards, staring at him with faint surprise, before smiling slightly and shaking his hand one by one.

"Fred and George Weasley," the twins declared at the same time, flashing him identical grins despite the seriousness of the situation. Jack smiled back, albeit painfully.

Now wasn't really the time for smiles, after all.

As the twins stepped aside and the third brother took his hand, a faint whimper caught Jack's attention, magnified a moment later by another.

Time was running short … and the Doctor and Teri weren't looking so good as the seconds ticked by. _Surely_ he should be _helping_?

But he didn't know how to. He'd hoped to smash a screen or two and the machines might just stop themselves, but seeing the trouble the Doctor was having, he highly doubted that would have worked in the first place. Best leave it to the professional, rather than get in the way.

His guilty conscience was beaten away, and with a great force of effort, Jack refocused upon his new acquaintances.

"Ron Weasley," the gangly, freckly red-haired boy announced, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Jack simply nodded back, not even bothering to fake a smile this time. He just didn't have the energy for it.

Releasing his grip, Ron pointed at the two girls standing beside him.

"And that's Ginny, my sister, and Hermione Granger."

Both inclined their heads momentarily, but neither seemed all that disposed to say anything. In fact, their attention was riveted upon the Doctor, quite understandably.

And with a pang of guilt, Jack realised _his_ should have been, too.

For the Doctor's frantic movements weren't looking so … _frantic_ anymore.

"Jack," he whispered hoarsely, dropping the Sonic to the floor where it landed with a clatter and rolled away, clanging against the machine that served as a suitable braking system.

Right. Forget playing 'polite gentleman'.

Jack was a man of action, and damnit he was missing out on a _hell_ of a lot, just standing around here chatting.

"Yes?" he asked, sparing the kids a nervous glance before hurrying to the Doctor's side.

"I … I need you to …"

But the Doctor quickly fell silent, sinking to his knees and holding his hands against his head.

"What? You need me to _what_?" Jack asked, almost _begged_, gripping the Time Lord's shivering shoulder and glancing despairingly at Teri's ashen skin for a moment.

"T-the red wire," the Doctor forced out, raising a trembling finger to point at the mass of newly Sonicked open machinery, where a huge mismatch of wiring was smouldering slightly from overheating.

"Yeah? What about it?" Jack pressed, frustrated beyond measure but again hiding it quite well.

"_Pull it out_!" the Doctor screeched, leaning forwards on his knees and letting his head press against the cool stone floor for a moment in a futile attempt to ease the pain.

Much to his dismay, it didn't work.

At the Doctor's shout, Jack wasn't the only one to jump out of his skin.

A soft squeak from behind them told him that Hermione had as well.

"Oh," he murmured, then scrambled to his feet and all but flew to the wiring, sliding his hand in only to withdraw it almost immediately.

"Ouch, b…roomsticks," he murmured, sucking on his thumb slightly before shaking his head. "That's _hot_!"

"Well _no_, Captain Obvious!" the Doctor snapped back sarcastically, grimacing and letting his eyes slide shut as he fought the onslaught.

The girl was completely drained.

Meaning _he_ was defenceless.

Completely on his own.

Another few minutes and they'd both be dead, he realised with horror, as memory after memory flew to the forefront of his mind before vanishing clean away.

Through the pain and burning in his mind, the Doctor just about heard another soft curse, a little less controlled than the last one had been, as Jack set to unplugging the wire in a last ditch attempt to stop the equipment..

But the Doctor was too far gone, now.

He couldn't handle this.

'_Please, Jack,_' he moaned mentally, little more than a croaked groan escaping his lips. '_Please, fix this._'

* * *

Harry's heart was pounding in his chest, and with an anxious glance at the room's many occupants, he shuffled as quietly as he could towards the doorway. 

If Lupin and the others were here, they were in danger.

And it was his fault.

They were looking for _him_ …

If anyone died today, if anyone died and it was _his fault_ …

A steady beating sound was slowly drumming itself into focus. With a frown, he leaned against the wall just beside the door and straightened his wand arm, pushing open the half-ajar door ever so slightly and peeking his head around to see into the corridor beyond.

The sound was getting louder.

Footsteps.

Sure, certain, deadly footsteps.

Voldemort.

With a nervous blink, something about the corridor caught his attention, and shaking his head against the recklessness of his two friends and favourite teacher, Harry sent a curt nod towards Lupin, Neville and Luna, who were pressing themselves as deeply into the corridor's shadows as humanly possible.

He was about to call them over, to suggest they get inside at least until the Doctor was alright again.

But he never had a chance.

The footsteps were booming, now. Echoing around his head.

And he suddenly realised why the three were out there, rather than up wherever the rest of their colleagues were.

They'd come to buy him and the Doctor more time.

"Harry?" he heard Lupin call as Voldemort's ever-staring red eyes suddenly lit up the end of the passageway. Harry's head withdrew back into the room just as a jet of green light was sent flying his way.

"Yeah?" he called back, nodding once at the Weasley's and Hermione, sparing the Doctor and Jack – who had glanced up as the emerald streak momentarily illuminated the room – an anxious glance before sending a half-murmured spell back out from behind the door.

Jack's ferociously working fingers returned to tugging desperately at the scarlet wiring that was tangled unbelievably well amidst a million and one other wires of different colours. Harry heard a distracted moan of irritation break his incessant mumbling and seriously contemplated helping him.

But he couldn't, now.

The Weasley's and Hermione were standing between him and them, wands raised and aims steadily focussed upon the outer corridor.

Harry could hear spells bouncing off of walls as Voldemort struggled to overcome Lupin, Luna and Neville.

And as Lupin's response echoed annoyingly around his head, he couldn't restrain an eye-roll.

"We've got company."

* * *

The Master sighed heavily and stared morosely at the screen, his eyes flickering momentarily over to the unconscious child at his feet before reverting back to the Doctor's failing form. 

Babysitting had never really been his favourite pastime.

So basically, in the words of the modern Earth teenager, this sucked.

Big time.

He watched as the strange newcomer – the one who had been present in the room when the TARDIS had landed - tugged mercilessly at the thick wad of wiring. Shaking his head in irritation, the Master half-wished he could run out there and hand the idiot the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver himself.

But he couldn't leave the TARDIS.

The Doctor had dropped it. The Master had _watched_ him drop it as the attack became overwhelming. It seemed the girl had given up, and now the machine was functioning as it should have been before she'd got in the way.

Yet it appeared the Doctor hadn't decided to suggest the newcomer should use the Sonic himself , as the Doctor had done… or maybe the stranger just didn't know _how_ to use it.

And if he didn't figure it out soon, there was no way in Hell he was going to stop that machine in time.

For once, the Master was actually fearing for the Doctor's life.

And you knew things were bad when the Doctor's own arch-nemesis was worried for him.

With a loud groan of frustration, he kicked at the console. She bleeped back in annoyance and flared her lights angrily, but he ignored her.

All he could do now was wait.

Sit here.

Baby-sit Rose Tyler.

And wait for the end that was inevitably just around the corner.

… …

God help them.

God help them _all_.

* * *

**Hmm, **_**will**_** Jack be able to do it in time? Will Rose recover? Will Tonks manage to alert McGonagall and rescue the trapped Order members before the Daleks can blow them head first into the Wizards' Afterlife?**

**Tune in next time to find out! (Wink)  
**

… ...

**And if _that's_ not motivation enough, expect fight scenes galore as the Hogwardians take on the Big Bad Voldy and his army of metal monsters ... **

**Ahem … so, update coming as soon as! Exam season may be upon me now, but that don't mean I'm giving up on you wonderful, **_**wonderful**_** people!**

**And in the meantime, please review!**

**Blessed Be!  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


	27. The Battle Begins

**Thank you paige-rossi-black, Shrink To Be, Tai Greywing, I Shot The Sheriff, IronFist Shady Gurl, The Tenth Doctor's Companion and Xlittle-pyroX!**

**Doobrey Ferkin: **Songfics? Love 'em. Revel in 'em. I'd make a million of my own if they were properly accepted on FanFic dot net. Shame, that. I've done one, but I dare not do anymore. (Sigh) Still, lots of people love a good songfic, me included, so if you're up for it, I'd say go for it. 'Cause you're right. There's a million different songs that work so well with the Doctor and Rose's relationship and the series as a whole! Ahem … thanksies for commenting! (Blush)

**izzfrogger: **Thanksies for the review and I hope your exams went okay, too!

**LittleGinny15: **Thank you! Sad song, that one. Quite beautiful. Hope you like this one too! And sorry for the delay. Writer's Block sucks big time. (Shrugs) 

**A/N: Sorry! Writer's Block! Really, **_**really**_** bad Writer's Block! (Begs forgiveness)**

**Oh, and um … a lot of these events are happening at the same time, so if it seems to be moving a little fast, - or a little slow, come to think of it - that's most probably why. (Grins) Hell, you've no idea how hard it is to write so many characters at once until you try it for yourself. I'd never have believed it had I not written this, so I'm most definitely feeling an immense sense of awe for Mrs Rowling, right now. How she did it, I really do not know.**

**AnyWho, read on at last! And enjoy!**

* * *

**The Battle Begins  
**

Tonks clutched despairingly at a stitch in her side as she practically flew through the corridors, her face set, pushing passed students rushing in the opposite direction, students with not a care in the world save for who'd kissed who that morning and which exam so-and-so expected to fail.

It amazed her how 'real life' could still be going on around them. Away from the Order, and away from the war, life was normal.

And she simply could not comprehend that.

Dearly wishing she could be one of those people, devoid of responsibility and the fate of the entire world resting on the shoulders of herself and her colleagues, Tonks shouted the password at the stone gargoyle before it was even in sight.

Jumping onto the revolving staircase, she gave the brass knocker one swift tug, then pushed straight inside, not bothering to wait for a summons.

McGonagall glanced up from her desk in surprise, and Tonks flashed her a sympathetic smile before launching headfirst into speech.

"Headmistress? We have a problem. A really, _really_ big problem."

Her lips thinning, her eyes narrowing and her heart sinking as the conversation was pulled in a direction that even the Doctor himself would have problems with following, McGonagall was on her feet before the explanation was even finished.

And with an anxious nod at Tonks, spells for concealment, protection and defence escaping her wand and enveloping the entire school - accompanied with an alert to all members of staff about her abrupt departure - the pair turned on their heels, flicked their cloaks, and vanished.

* * *

Screaming out in frustration, Jack straightened up and ran his hands through his hair. 

"_Damnit_!" he yelled, banging his head against the machine before turning away, leaning against it and breathing heavily. "This is _impossible_!"

Glancing sideways, he suppressed a shudder as the Doctor painstakingly slowly raised his head to stare at him, tear-filled eyes wide with despair and silent pleas.

Jamming his eyes shut, he turned away, the guilt bubbling like poison as it sped through his veins. Taking a deep, calming breath, he shook his head and composed himself, trying to ease his nerves if only to give him a clearer head.

"Right," he murmured, glancing around the room for something that could help.

And then he spotted it.

_Feet_ away from him, it was glinting in the suddenly illuminated room as a jet of orange light flew in through the crack between door and wall and hit a machine at the far side of the room. Said machine sparked and fizzed, smoke slowly unfurling from its metallic bodice as a low whine stirred up a protest.

For half a second, Jack had a moment of giddy relief, distractedly hoping that breaking _that_ machine might have actually helped them stop _this_ one.

But it didn't.

Heart sinking, he sighed heavily, then scrambled to his knees and crawled over to the Sonic, stumbling back over to the machine in a daze.

One last-ditch attempt.

Not even sure of whether or not the settings were right, though he presumed they would be since the Doctor had been using it moments before, he pressed the button and smiled slightly as the tip flared blue, an incessant buzz echoing almost soothingly around the room.

Everything crossed in hope, he gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the sounds of battle from behind them, mind and face alike set in complete determination, the Sonic pointing at the wad of tangled wiring and his heart racing erratically beneath his chest.

One last-ditch attempt.

It _had_ to work. It just _had _to.

* * *

His heart in his throat, Harry stared distractedly at the door, wincing as he heard a shrill cry from the other side. Luna. 

"This isn't going to work," he murmured, more to himself than to the others. But they raised their eyebrows in disbelief anyway, wand arms steady around him while he gradually let his own fall back to his side. "It isn't right," he went on, glancing anxiously over his shoulder, squinting a little as the azure tip of the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver tore at his eyes.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Hermione hissed, voice strained as she glared at his lowered arm in despair.

He blinked and turned back to her, a small, sad smile on his face.

"The right thing," he said, before walking to the door.

"_No_!"

Ginny shot forwards and grabbed his hand before he could leave the room. Sighing in frustration, he turned to her and gripped her hand, slowly easing it clear of his own. Fixing her with an intense stare, he shook his head.

"Gin, this is _my_ fight. Not yours, not theirs, not even the Order's. It's me and him. It's _always_ been me and him."

Ron spoke up, staring at his best friend with a fire so unusually seen burning within his eyes that Harry was momentarily stunned.

"We made our choice a long time ago, Harry. We're in this together."

But Harry smiled and slowly shook his head.

"We were," he amended, glancing back to the door. Another bolt of light flew through the gap and Harry only just managed to push Ginny out of its line of fire before it smashed into the stone wall behind them. Steering her clear of the open doorway, he returned his gaze to them, the look in his eyes one of determined resignation. "There's something I haven't told you," he said softly, wincing as another shout from outside fluttered through his ears.

The Weasley's and Hermione were staring at him, wand arms slackened a little as they gave him their undivided attention, no longer paying any heed to the jets of colour that were flying into the room.

Harry hesitated, then confessed in a voice so low that they almost missed it, "I know what the last Horcrux is."

* * *

"_Luna_!" Neville yelled, dropping to his knees and wincing as his hair was ruffled by a scarlet jet that whizzed straight over his head. Coughing, he struggled up again, wand arm raised and eyes flitting towards the girl who was lying sprawled on the floor, clutching weakly to her side and shuddering violently. 

He turned to see Lupin glance their way too before sending spell after spell at the pair of gleaming red eyes that were attacking them from a little way down the corridor.

"Neville! Grab Luna and run!" he shouted quickly, ducking down to avoid the streak of green that very nearly knocked him off his feet.

Neville would have snorted derisively had his nerves permitted speech.

As it was, he couldn't.

So instead, he sent another spell bouncing off of the stone walls and crawled across the floor towards Luna's side, wincing as he spotted the dark, blood-stained burn that was just visible, peaking out at him from in between her splayed fingers.

Eyes jammed closed in pain, she whimpered as he reached out a hand for her, easing it around her shoulders and carefully lifting her slightly.

"Leave it!" she hissed, nodding her head weakly towards Lupin and shuddering violently as her broken arm twisted awkwardly, lying limp against her chest as her other hand dug painstakingly hard into the wound on her side. "Help him!"

But Neville shook his head.

"Sorry about this," he whispered, genuine sympathy in his voice. "It might hurt a little."

And without another word, he swung her up into his arms and turned on his heel, vanishing on the spot with a flick of his wand, her pain-racked scream fading into non-existence.

Lupin smiled grimly, spared the spot they'd occupied seconds before a nervous but satisfied glance, and then returned to the attack with renewed vigour, slowly but surely backing away through the corridor towards where Harry and the others were.

"I hope you guys have a plan," he murmured to himself, taking refuge in a dense area of shadow as yet another jet of green light collided with the wall a few yards away. He glanced apprehensively at the door and flinched as Voldemort snarled in rage, forced back yet again by another well-placed spell from Lupin's wand. Voice barely above a croaked whisper, he added softly, "'cause I sure as Hell don't."

* * *

The gentle humming in her ears was reassuring. Soothing, even. 

Whatever she was lying on was vibrating ever so slightly, its reassuring thrum leaking through heavy limbs and calming her.

Not exactly sure of where she was - nor of how she'd come to be there in the first place - but able to tell that she _recognised_ it at the very least, Rose was sorely tempted to drift off again.

Thoughts sluggish and half-hearted, she suppressed a soft groan, cutting it off and letting little more than a strained whimper escape her lips instead.

But unfortunately, it was enough for her to be noticed.

"Ahh, you're awake. About time, too."

With a heavy sigh, she raised a hand to her head and tried to clear her thoughts of the misty fog that had enveloped them. Pushing herself up on wobbly arms, she blinked a few times, the Console Room slowly sliding into blurry focus, spinning a little and leaving her with a headache reminiscent of those she'd gained during the pub-crawls she'd undertaken with Keisha and Shareen so many years before.

With another sigh, this time half-disguised as a yawn, she lifted her gaze to the man standing beside the column, a hand drumming lazily on the edge as he considered her with an air of disinterest.

"Oh," she murmured, dropping her gaze and shaking her head a little, clearing it properly. "It's you."

He raised an eyebrow and faked hurt.

"Said with such enthusiasm, I'm sure," he retorted sarcastically.

"Whatever," she replied, struggling to her feet and shrugging. Glancing around the room, she frowned, rubbing the small of her back in a vain attempt to ease the aches and pains emanating from it. "Where is everyone?" she asked softly, staring at the closed doors and feeling concern well up within her chest. "And what happened?"

The Master, a look of intense amusement adorning his cropped features, raised an eyebrow.

"Dear, I'd rather like to ask _you_ the same question," he replied smugly, glancing at the console and then back again. "Is it normal that you can absorb the very essence of time and space, or was what we witnessed a one-off occurrence?"

Rose opened her mouth to respond, but soon shut it, staring at him in surprise.

"Oh, so _that's_ what happened," she said, more to herself than to him, running a hand over her eyes and glancing at the green column, too. "Bad Wolf."

"Indeed," he responded dryly. "That _was_ the name you gave yourself."

Rose glared at him, but otherwise ignored his comment, glancing around the room and dearly wishing for company _other_ than the Doctor's arch-nemesis.

…

The Doctor …

"Wait, did it work?" she demanded hurriedly. "Is the Doctor alright? Did we save him? That's why I changed, wasn't it?"

The Master hesitated, suddenly rather uncomfortable. After a moment's pause, he nodded carefully.

"So where is -?" but she trailed off, eyes lifting to the scanner at last.

"You only cured his injuries," the Master admitted softly, staring blankly at the wall as the scene outside tore into Rose's soul. "It's down to them, now."

But Rose wasn't listening.

Eyes opening Bambi-wide, she stared at the Doctor's trembling form for a second or two, drinking in the complete agony alight on his scrunched features as he battled internally against an invisible onslaught.

But he wasn't the only person to catch her attention.

Truth be told, she'd expected that much, remembering vaguely the knowledge that had sprung up as she joined with the Bad Wolf. Remembering about the whole 'memories-pulled-straight-out-of-his-head' gag that Voldemort was playing. Even remembering about there being a second Time Lord.

But as she let her eyes trail over to the man crouched beside a medley of multi-coloured wires, buzzing the Doctor's sonic screwdriver at a silver panel, she couldn't contain the gasp of amazement that escaped her parted lips.

For there was one other person outside the TARDIS. A person she had _not_ been expecting to see.

Moments later, and the Master's apparent warnings fell on deaf ears as Rose bolted for the door.

* * *

McGonagall gasped as she stared in through the open doorway, eyes fitting over Order members and metallic robots alike. 

The hall floor was littered with bodies, some Death Eaters, some comrades and friends, and some so badly injured or disfigured that they were no longer recognisable.

Forcing back the bile that was rising up her throat, she turned to Tonks and indicated the strange, metal monsters that were mutely gliding around the edges of the hall, keeping in perfect procession as they, for all intents and purposes, _paced_ the room.

Tonks shrugged half-heartedly, mouthing, "they're working with Voldemort," before she strengthened her grip on her wand and stared off down the corridors, attention focussed on watching their backs. Most of the Death Eaters present at Voldemort's hide-out were inside the hall, if they weren't dead already, but you could never be too careful when the Dark Lord was concerned.

Gazing into the room, McGonagall frowned, then withdrew her head and turned to Tonks again.

"Right," she whispered urgently, "We can't get in without being … well, attacked by those creatures," she amended, paling slightly before continuing. "So, I'll send a message through, and those who aren't too badly injured can apparate those who _are_ to Saint Mungo's. I've sent word ahead, so the staff are ready and waiting."

Tonks nodded carefully, eyes still riveted to the as-of-yet still empty hallway.

"And what about us?" she asked softly.

McGonagall shrugged.

"We go find the others, I guess. They might need our help."

Tonks nodded her agreement and watched as the Headmistress raised her wand, pointing it through the gap between half-open door and wall, and flicked it sharply upwards, sending a streak of golden light to soar up into the centre of the room before exploding firework-style, golden words glittering like fireflies as they were illuminated by the afterlight of the spell.

The room's occupants, man and machine alike, stared skywards in surprise, reading the words with immense interest, looks of utmost relief adorning the faces of the Order members.

A sign of help, those words were.

'_St Mungo's has already been alerted. Assist the injured and get out now!_'

Nobody needed telling twice.

Before the Daleks knew what was happening, just short of half the room's conscious occupants had crouched down beside fallen allies and carefully turned on their heels, whisking them away in a flurry of cloaks and drawn wands.

The remaining order members spared their retreating comrades almost wistful glances, before straightening, raising their wands, and shouting spells in unison at the top of their lungs, directing the beams that burst forth at the surrounding creatures.

Tonks and McGonagall were half-way down the corridor before they heard the resonating war-cries, inhuman, high-pitched screeches echoing around the chamber behind them.

Neither of them so much as glanced back over their shoulders, both whispering silent prayers for the Order members still fighting in the main hall as they sprinted through the corridors, heading for the cellar.

* * *

"No," Hermione whispered, a hand flying to her mouth as she gripped Ron's hand for support. Too bad for her he wasn't fairing much better. So when her legs gave out with the shock, he was dragged down with her, hitting the floor hard at her side but apparently paying no notice. 

He simply sat there, staring at Harry, his gaze burning straight through his best friend as though hoping Harry might suddenly debunk his confession, tell them he was joking and laugh it away with an air of indifference.

But he didn't.

In fact, Harry was doing his damndest to avoid locking eyes with everyone in the room, as he fell silent and stared mutely at the door, watching as another jet of scarlet light bounced around the room, hitting a machine standing conspicuously against the far wall before disappearing into oblivion.

The twins were staring at him too, silently resting a hand each onto Ginny's shoulders, holding her back as she continued to gaze blankly at him.

Sensing the unasked question lingering in the air, the silent request that he 'tell them it's not true', Harry nodded slowly, raising his wand.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, turning to them at last, eyes brimming with unshed tears but the resolution and acceptance shining through with brute force. "But this is between me and him, now. You're going to have to trust me and stay here. Look after each other and help the Order, _leave _if you want, I really don't care. But you've gotta leave Voldemort to me."

Hermione struggled to her feet again, tears sliding down her cheeks as she stared at him, shaking her head in denial, gripping so hard to Ron's fingers that his knuckles were white. Not that he'd noticed.

"B-but … but you … if you …"

She couldn't force the words out. '_If _you_ are the final Horcrux … that means … oh God …_'

He seemed to sense what she was thinking though.

And nodded once.

"Which is why you're not going to be there. I couldn't handle that," he confessed thickly, forcing back the raw emotions that were rising slowly up within his chest and mutely constricting his throat. "I need you guys to stay here and help the Doctor. There'll be other creatures around for you to fight too, won't there? Creatures that Voldemort's pulled out, creatures he's built up his army with. You're going to have your hands full anyway."

But he wasn't exactly sure if any of them were even listening anymore.

And as yet another beam of light illuminated the room, offset by a grunt of pain from Lupin outside, he shook his head and composed himself.

"Thanks," he whispered, staring at each of them in turn. "For everything."

Jack glanced up at that, the buzzing momentarily ceasing as he stared back at the gang of teenage wizards standing beside the door. It had nothing to do with him, and while he'd caught most of the conversation, he'd understood less than a quarter of it. But nevertheless, he understood _now_ what Harry was about to do.

And he admired the kid for that.

"Good luck," he called quickly, flaring the sonic again but keeping his gaze locked onto Harry's, who'd turned to nod his gratitude.

"You too," he said softly, staring at the Doctor briefly, then at the Time Lady still unconsciously shivering on the table beside them. Jack nodded back and followed his gaze, then returned to working determinedly at the control panel. Harry stared at the blue box again and realised with a jolt to the heart that he couldn't say goodbye to Rose. Or the Master, though to be totally honest, that wasn't _exactly_ a huge disappointment.

And as he turned away, he found himself briefly hoping that Rose would forgive him for leaving before he saw her again. Strange, the things you think about when certain death is imminent.

With one final glance at Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the Twins, he forced a smile and turned away, walking for the door.

But he never made it.

"Harry, _no_!" Ginny yelled, struggling against the Twins' grip on her shoulders, tugging fruitlessly and almost dislocating a shoulder in the process as she fought and lost against the onslaught of tears. "Please, you _can't_!"

Harry glanced back and was very sorely tempted to run for the TARDIS and barricade himself in there. The longer he delayed, the less composure he could maintain a firm hold on. And Ginny was dearly shredding what little certainty he'd felt to shreds with just a _look_ as she stared at him, eyes wide and tear-filled, _pleading_ with him to reconsider.

With a heavy sigh, he shook his head, walked to her side and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, willing himself to contain tears of his own.

"I've got to, Gin," he said simply. "Not just for everyone else, but for _me_, too. I can't let this go."

Before he could turn away again, his vision was obscured by a head of bushy brown hair, and the combined weights of Hermione, Ron, Ginny and the Twins were soon very nearly dragging him to the floor. For a few moments, he accepted it, but when it didn't seem like they were going to relent their holds any time soon, he sighed heavily and cleared his throat, carefully dislodging Ginny's arms from around his neck before squeezing Hermione's shoulder in an attempt to coax her into dropping the arm that was looped around his waist.

The twins had pulled back already, dragging Ginny along with them, though she'd given in by now, retreating submissively and silently weeping into Fred's shoulder.

Composure very close to shattering completely, Harry patted Ron on the shoulder, who flashed him a sincere, watery smile and tugged Hermione away too, leaving Harry standing alone in the middle of the room, cries and shouts filtering in from outside and the doorframe frequently brightening as spells impacted against the door.

"See you later," Ron said finally, deciding to overlook the fact that _that_ was insufferably unlikely. Because the alternative just didn't bear thinking about.

Harry hesitated, then nodded, turning to the door and striding purposefully towards it.

"Count on it," he murmured, before pulling it wide and raising his wand, a spell crashing into the wall beside him and bathing him in an eerie, violet light before fading away. Lupin was leaning heavily against the wall, blood pouring from his nose in torrents and skin ashen-white, but his arm was still steady, wand still raised and pointing at Voldemort who was little more than four paces away from them.

But as the door was thrown wide, both fell suddenly still, eyes riveted on the boy standing motionless in the doorway.

With a smile completely going against how he was feeling, Harry cleared his throat and straightened his wand arm, eyes on Voldemort and Voldemort alone.

And before anybody could say another word, Harry and the Dark Lord had turned on their heels and vanished, leaving the corridor to fall intolerably silent, once more.

* * *

The TARDIS doors were flung wide, and as Lupin slowly staggered into the room, a teary Hermione running to his side and offering support which he gladly took, for the second time in as many minutes, the buzzing in the room was suddenly cut short as Jack, the Weasley's and Lupin and Hermione all turned to stare at the girl silhouetted against the alien lights within the box's four wooden walls. 

"Jack," Rose whispered, eyes wide in amazement, completely ignoring the teens standing a few feet away from her as she watched in almost detached fascination, the sonic slipping from Jack's hands as he scrambled to his feet.

"_Rose_!" he exclaimed, delightedly, momentarily forgetting the task he'd set himself as Rose flung herself into his arms. He wrapped an arm around her, hoisting her up and spinning her on the spot, laughing in complete and utter delight. "God, you have _no_ idea how good it is to see you!"

Rose chuckled weakly, sliding from his grip and staring at him almost fearfully. "But … but what are you _doing _here?" she asked quietly, disbelievingly, staring around the room in awe.

Then her face fell.

That snapped them both out of it.

"Oh, damnit," he murmured, scooping up the sonic again and tugging at the wires as another one was pulled free. He must have dismantled over two thirds of the machine by now, and yet still the red wire was stuck fast.

At the same time, Rose dropped to her knees beside the Doctor, a hand running nervously through his sweat-drenched locks.

"I was brought here," Jack called back by way of an explanation. Rose raised an eyebrow but decided not to press for a clearer answer in light of the present situation. Instead, she forced her gaze to lift from the Doctor's, trying to fight back the overwhelming feelings of anxiety and fear that were eating away at her insides, and glanced at the teens standing between the TARDIS and the door.

But the next question to escape her lips was echoed by somebody in the doorway.

"Where's Harry?"

Startled, the room's occupants looked up in time to see Tonks and McGonagall skid to a halt beside Lupin and Hermione, Tonks gasping and running to his side while the Headmistress fixed beady eyes on her once-students.

"He's gone," Ron whispered, staring at the doorway almost wistfully. "With Voldemort."

McGonagall's mouth dropped open in surprise and she stared at him, wide-eyed.

"What? Why? How can he think he can fight him alone?"

But Ron shook his head slowly, expression still hauntingly vacant.

"He didn't have a choice," he said. "He knows what the final Horcrux is. We _all_ do," he added, the truth finally hitting home.

"Wait … _final_ Horcrux, did you say?" Lupin asked quickly, raising an eyebrow. "You mean you've destroyed all the others?"

Hermione shook her head, the tears no longer falling but drying against her pale cheeks.

"No, we didn't need to. Regulus Black and Peter Pettigrew got to them before we could."

"_What_?!" McGonagall whispered in disbelief, staring at Ron for confirmation and gasping when he gave it. "You mean, two _Death Eaters_ have willingly aided in the downfall of their Master? Why would they _do_ that?"

But the room was filled with blank faces at that. She blinked and looked up, suddenly aware of two new acquaintances standing within the room, one leaning against the doors of the Doctor's bizarre blue box, and the other buzzing away at a control panel beside a large machine.

"I'm inclined to ask what the Hell is going on around here, but something tells me I'd have trouble finding the time to listen to the story," she said finally, eyes flicking to the Doctor at last. A hand flying to her mouth, she shuddered. "Is he alright?" she asked softly.

Again, she was met by uncertain silence, and shook her head, plucking her glasses from her nose and running a shaky hand over her eyes. So many questions … What had happened to the Doctor? What was the remaining Horcrux and why had Harry left to fight the battle alone? Who were the two newcomers? The one at the controls was, most definitely, Jack Harkness, she recalled. And judging by the fact that the girl still wired in to the peculiar machinery around her was the only girl who appeared to be a 'captive', then _she _had to have been … Teri, was it? Or something like that. McGonagall couldn't suppress a heavy sigh. It had only been that morning that she'd discovered the whereabouts of Voldemort's two captives. Huh, that morning. Seemed more like a lifetime ago. But as to who the second man was, the one watching with eagle-sharp eyes fixed on the Doctor as he leant casually against the blue police box's open door, she had absolutely no idea.

And she'd just opened her mouth to ask when a loud cry of, "thank _God_!" echoed around the chambers, followed by a loud ripping noise as Jack yanked a wire clear of its companions, killing the incessant buzzing of the contraption in his hands and staring as the machine at his side sparked and groaned in protest, readings on the scanner suddenly indecipherable as vague but distorted images scattered pixel-style across the screen.

The entire room watched with bated breath, Tonks, Lupin and McGonagall not having a clue as to what was going on but gathering that whatever the machine did was most definitely far from good.

Hermione and the Weasley's walked quickly forwards, hanging back and hovering just behind Rose, who was gripping so tightly to the Doctor's limp but sweat-coated hand that she was sure she'd crushed his fingers. Jack staggered backwards, eyes flitting between the Doctor and Teri, and even the Master appeared to have stopped breathing as he watched from the TARDIS doorway, arms no longer crossed but hanging expectantly at his sides.

As one, the room fell silent, only the sounds of the protesting machinery breaking the eerie quiet that had fallen over them all.

As one, the room fell silent. And waited.

* * *

**(Apologises most profusely) Sorry! Another cliffy! I simply can **_**not**_** help myself! They just make such fantabulous places to end chapters, don't they? (Hopes you can forgive her)**

**And sorry for any mistakes. I haven't proof-read it yet, 'cause I just really wanted to get it posted. I'll revise it this evening, but if you find any in the meantime, don't hesitate to let me know and I'll amend them. It's just I've been writing this since half 7 this morning. 'Tis now half 3. I'm sure you can do the math and come up with ( one plus one equals exhaustion ) at the end of it, right? **

**AnyWho. Thanksies for reading! And I love reviews …**

**Blessed Be!  
xXx MissHaunted-MoonLight xXx**


End file.
